Blood of The Postman
by MangoKat
Summary: The Postman knew he was a monster; how could he not? Horrible visions of blood and death filled his mind, drowning out everything that was good. Who was he? Where did he come from? And who was this mysterious cloaked figure determined to kill him? Part 5 of The Postman series.
1. Dawn of a New Day

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**Authornote:**

**Hello, everyone! Long time, no see! Lol I'm not dead despite popular belief, just extremely, extremely busy. I'm so sorry it took me an entire month to get this out, but I promise the next chapter will be faster!**  
**So, here we go, another part of The Postman series, Blood of The Postman. This story is going to be another long one, so get buckled in! :)**

**A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed Ballad of The Postman, it is very much appreciated. Any suggestions, criticisms or feedback is welcomed and encouraged.**

**I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.**

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**Blood of The Postman**

Dawn of a New Day

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The Postman knew he was asleep. He quite distinctly remembered falling asleep. Despite the knowledge that everything he was seeing was a dream, it didn't stop it seeming any less real.

The village he stood in was like none The Postman had ever seen before. Every house was bent and enveloped in shadow, their wood old and rotted. There wasn't a sign of life anywhere; even the trees were dead and shrivelled. The village had seemingly been abandoned ages ago; everything now to the point of crumbling. The taste of dampness and decay surrounded him and The Postman couldn't remember any dream seeming quite this real. He was dressed in the leathers of a soldier, a sword hanging from his belt and he drew it curiously. It was the same sword from the Windfish's island and he turned it over in his hand, staring at his brother's name gleaming in gold. The weight of the sword was perfect and just as before it fit his grasp as if made for him. It pulsed as he stared at it, as if calling for war, and The Postman threw it away as hard as he could.

Seeing a light flash from of the corner of his eye, he turned and saw a lit window in the corner of the village. Smoke came from the chimney of one of the less dilapidated cottages and The Postman changed his assumption that the village had been abandoned. Knowing he was dreaming and that he had nothing to fear, The Postman began crossing the village towards the light.

Everything around him was in vivid detail, right down to the cold breeze biting at his skin and The Postman found himself almost forgetting this was a dream. The grass was dry and dead and it crunched beneath his feet audibly, no life to be seen. The only sound in the dream was the noise he himself made as he approached the cottage and he got the impression that he was intruding on something.

The door of the cottage was closed tightly but a soft light spilled out around the cracks and he hesitated before reaching for the handle. The door wasn't locked and swung inwards with a creak, the sound almost unbearable against the silence. The Postman stood in the doorway and blinked against the harsh light, his eyes taking a moment to adjust.

"I was wondering when I'd be seeing you."

The Postman started at the unexpected voice and his gaze fell on a cloaked figure standing near the lit fireplace. The man's face couldn't be seen as his back was to The Postman and he didn't turn to face him. As the man reached out his hands to warm them over the fire, The Postman caught a glimpse of yellowed, sickly looking skin.

"Such a cold place your mind is;" The man said thoughtfully. "cold and in ruins. It's quite fitting I suppose…"

The Postman furrowed his brow but said nothing.

The man let out a longsuffering sigh and then clenched his fists. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.

The Postman didn't recognize the voice and hesitantly shook his head. Despite not facing him, the man gave a humourless chuckle.

"Good."

The Postman allowed his eyes to drift over the rest of the room, noting that it was a lot larger than it should have been. The walls and floors were made of grey stone and appeared to be part of a dungeon instead of the small cottage he'd entered. There was no furniture in the room apart from a simple stone altar and The Postman suddenly realized this was the same room he'd seen in the Windfish's vision. He stared at the altar, images of a screaming baby coming to mind, and he was certain he wasn't mistaken.

The man withdrew his hands into his cloak and slowly turned towards him, The Postman eyeing him warily. The man's face was shadowed entirely by the cloak but his gaze was clearly focussed on The Postman.

"I've been looking for you for a long time. The goddesses have done a good job in hiding you, but you can't be protected forever. Sooner or later I'm going to find you outside of your dreams and I will kill you."

The Postman frowned but kept silent. He didn't like the direction this dream was going and wondered if the man in front of him was the result of a concussion he'd received. There seemed to be no other explanation for the bizarre dream and he was inclined to ignore it in the hopes it would go away.

"Have you nothing to say?" the man demanded impatiently.

The Postman stayed silent.

"Show your arrogance all you want, but the result will be the same. I am going to kill anything and everything you care about and wipe any trace of your existence from this world. You are a monster, not a man and no matter what you do, I'll find you. Justice will be had."

"Justice in murder?" The Postman questioned. "I wasn't aware that was possible."

The man smiled at him, a glint of white teeth from beneath the hood and he shook his head. "It speaks." He commented dryly.

The Postman took a cautious step forward, getting the impression this dream wasn't a dream at all. He cocked his head trying to see beneath the hood, then asked. "Who are you?"

"Very cute, monster." The man replied. "But I'm not going to fall for that. You hold no power over me and you never shall."

"This isn't a dream" The Postman stated, now certain.

"You're incorrect," the man replied. "This is a dream but I myself am very real and very capable of killing you."

The Postman crossed his arms skeptically. "In a dream?"

"No, perhaps not as you hold power here, but in the waking world I will kill you. That sword you carry cannot protect you forever."

"Sword? What sword?" The Postman questioned looking down at his belt.

Sure enough, the sword he'd thrown away was back in its sheath like it had never left. The Postman stared at it a long moment before turning his eyes back to the man.

"It's not so easy to throw away, is it?"

The Postman wasn't sure how to respond to that so he changed the subject. "Where is my brother?" he demanded. "You seem to know me, so what happened to him? Is he dead?"

"I know nothing of that."

The Postman frowned, not believing him. Everything lately seemed to revolve around his past and his brother. The man had to be lying.

"Our time is just about up, monster. When you wake, you better start making arrangements because everything is about to change."

The Postman pondered back a few months when he'd first delivered a letter to Ganondorf and knew it was too late. "It's already changed." he informed the man.

The man seemed like he was going to respond, but everything around The Postman began to blend together in a smear of colour. As the cottage and man disappeared, everything faded into darkness.

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The Postman woke with a start. He had a brief moment of panic, unsure of where he was, but as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw he was at his parent's house. He took a few slow, even breaths, remembering what had happened and looked down at himself. His was no longer in any pain and seemed to be completely healed. How much time had passed? Hours or days?

A loud grunting snore from beside him startled him and he pulled aside the thick quilts on the bed discovering Sakon. The thief was sprawled out in all directions, taking up 90% of the bed, fast asleep. Sakon obviously hadn't been healed as his face was littered with bruises and his leg was in a thick white cast. The Postman again looked down at himself and saw there wasn't mark on him.

Wondering if the leg was indeed still broken, he gave the cast a hard poke causing Sakon to groan in his sleep and shift away from him. The Postman frowned. Why was he healed but not Sakon? Could his family only find one fairy?

The Postman hesitated at the thought of his family. What would they say to him after all he'd done? He'd completely ruined his brother's wedding, humiliated everyone in front of the relations and acted like a crazy person. How could he possibly face them after all of that? He was surprised they hadn't just left him to bleed on the beach. The fact they hadn't and had gone out of their way to make him comfortable and to heal him, made him feel even worse.

Sitting head in hand, The Postman let out a groan and knew at some point he'd have to bring up the fact he knew about Ichiro. He honestly didn't know if he wanted to know the truth. He been happily oblivious for 30 years so why should he stir things up now?

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, The Postman looked up towards the closed bedroom door. There'd be a lot of questions and anger and The Postman wasn't sure he wanted to deal with it at the moment. He had questions as well but didn't know if he was even ready to ask them.

There was a glint of silver in the darkness and slowly The Postman turned his gaze to the bedside table. The hero sword rested on the table as if waiting for him, the blade clean and shining from the window-light. Remembering the blood that had covered both himself and the sword, he felt a shiver of fear make its way up his spine. It was clean now but to The Postman, all he could see was blood. Never again would he use it. He would NEVER allow himself to be used by anyone again.

Pulling aside the quilts, The Postman turned his gaze to the window. Why couldn't everything just go back to normal? Why did he have to get himself mixed up in all of this? Before he'd delivered that first letter to Ganondorf, he'd been happy and his family had been happy. One small action seemed to have caused a domino effect on his life. Everything was spiraling out of his control and The Postman was sick of it. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was before he worked for Ganondorf, before he befriended Sakon, before he'd been forced into unwanted adventures.

He remembered how easy life had been back then and it seemed like a lifetime ago. He longed for his once monotonous and predictable schedule, his mail, his hat, his route. What he wouldn't give just to get it all back.

The Postman glanced down at Sakon then back towards the bedroom door. Who said he couldn't just go back to his old life? Certainly never any gods or goddesses. In fact, the goddesses had never once spoken to him, despite having a hand in causing all of the chaos. The Postman could go back to his job and ignore anything and everything out of the ordinary. It was none of his business and he wouldn't get himself pulled into anymore nonsense. He didn't care WHAT the goddesses said his destiny was, he wanted no part in it.

Slowly getting to his feet, he wavered a moment then steadied himself against the bedpost. He'd just leave everything behind and go back to his job. He didn't care if he was adopted or whether he had a mysterious brother; he didn't care about any of it. Although a heavy feeling weighed down in the pit of his stomach contradicting him, he forced himself to ignore it. He'd just pretend the last year hadn't happened at all. As far as everyone would be concerned, he'd have amnesia.

His Pegasus boots sat near the bed and he stared down at them, wondering if he should ignore those as well. They'd be incredibly useful on his mail deliveries, especially if he was running late, and The Postman couldn't deny he liked the idea of never being late. Deciding to take them, he set them on the edge of the bed as he got dressed, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Sakon was none the wiser and continued snoring as The Postman laced up his boots and opened the window. Trying to push aside the twinge of guilt at the sight of the thief, The Postman turned away. Sakon had lived most of his life without friends, so he was sure he'd be fine without him.

He knew he was being cowardly to sneak away in the middle of the night, but The Postman didn't want to discuss this with anyone. He couldn't chance becoming the monster in his dreams.

His eyes flicked back to the sword once more but he quickly looked away. He wanted nothing to do with that sword; he'd leave it behind for Sakon to pawn. The Postman gave one last fleeting glance to Sakon, then climbed out the window.

Using the Pegasus boots to his full advantage, The Postman ran as fast as he could away from his family's farm and across the fields of Termina. Already he felt more free than he had in months and was determined to put everyone and everything behind him.

He sped across the fields, knowing every inch of it by heart and never once looked back. He didn't stop until he reached his post office hours later, sweaty and out of breath. Getting the spare key he kept beneath one of the potted plants by the window, he let himself in, letting out a deep breath of relief.

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"Ow, owwwww!" Sakon shrieked as his ear was given a sharp twist. "Let go!"

"What did you do with him?!" Jinaudi, The Postman's mother, demanded angrily. "Where is he?"

"I don't know!"

"I don't believe you." She said, giving his ear a good yank. "Where is he?"

Sakon managed to get his ear away from her and backed away the best he could with his crutches. "I didn't do nothing!" he cried, eying her warily. "How come everyone always blames me for things?!"

Jinaudi narrowed her eyes at him. "I know your reputation, Sakon, and if he's in some sort of trouble, I want you to tell me what it is!"

"I don't know where he went!" Sakon insisted. "He just disappeared during the night!"

Makoto, The Postman's father had been silent up until now and took a threatening step towards the thief. "Everyone always blames you, because you are always to blame!" he accused. "Don't think I don't remember all the trouble you caused as a child! You were a terror!"

Sakon hobbled back another step. "As I recall, Jihiro got in just as much trouble as I did!"

"You were a bad influence on him." Makoto said decidedly. "He straightened up once he stopped hanging around you."

"That's unfair." Sakon complained. "He was just better at not getting caught."

"You really expect us to believe that you never noticed him get up, get dressed and leave with you in the room with him?"

"I didn't do anything! My leg is broken, how do you think I did it? Magic? He probably just went back to his stupid post office or something!"

"In the middle of the night without saying anything?" Jinaudi challenged.

"He's weird so I wouldn't doubt it!" Sakon shot back.

Jinaudi and Makoto exchanged looks. The thought of their son leaving to check on his mail actually seemed like a very plausible idea.

Sakon slowly gimped his way towards the door, wanting to be anywhere but there at the moment. "Look, I'm a nice guy so I'll go check on him, okay?"

Jinaudi crossed her arms suspiciously. "And how exactly do you expect to do that with a broken leg?"

Sakon hesitated. "Um…can I borrow a horse?"

Makoto gave him a narrow-eyed look which could only be described as a silent threat. "I will lend you one of our horses but you had better not steal it."

Sakon batted his eyelashes at him innocently with a grin. "Who me? Never! I would never dream of doing something like that!"

Sakon's smile did nothing to reassure them.

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The Postman was having another nightmare. Horrible images of violence and death filled his mind and he tossed and turned in bed in a futile attempt to escape them. Always at the back of his mind, a man in a black cloak stood watching silently.

For a second time, The Postman woke with a start. Taking a deep breath to slow his pounding chest, he sat up and rubbed at his eyes. Still upset over the violent dream, he tried to push his unease aside. A dream meant nothing as long as he didn't act on it. Deciding to just get an early start on the day, he approached the daily mail and began sorting it. Allowing his mind to go blank, he focused only on the mail, his hands practically moving on their own, the task was so familiar. When he had finished sorting, he went about a few other tasks until it was time to leave.

Donning his hat and bag, he left the post office to start his route for the first time in what seemed ages. The simplicity of the day quickly relaxed him and he found himself settling back into his old routine easily. Thoughts of his family and Sakon were pushed to the very back of his mind and he purposely avoided anything that seemed like it was trouble. He ignored the villager being mugged by Moblins and walked past the Goron stuck in the mud. Neither were any of his business and he wasn't going to get involved. There had been a letter addressed to Ganondorf, but The Postman wasn't going to deliver it; he had locked it away inside his desk out of sight. At first, he had tossed into the wastebin but he couldn't bear to do something quite that horrible so he rescued it and instead locked it away.

Despite wearing the Pegasus boots, The Postman was in no hurry and delivered the last letter just as the sun was setting. It had been so long since he'd had an uninterrupted day of work, that he'd almost forgotten the amount of satisfaction it brought. When he arrived back to town, he definitely wasn't expecting to see Sakon waiting outside the post office door. The thief was seated on top of an ancient looking work horse, his expression irritated and impatient. When his eyes fell on The Postman, he let out an exasperated sigh.

"There you are!" he hissed. "Where did you go?! You abandoned me at your parents like a jerk!"

The Postman didn't answer.

"Your parents thought I kidnapped you or something! What in Din's name went through your thick skull to leave me there?!"

The Postman stared at Sakon a moment then averted his gaze. "Sorry, sir, the post office is closed. Please return tomorrow morning."

Sakon gave him a bewildered look. "Huh?"

The Postman unlocked the door without looking at him. "I said the post office is closed, sir. Please return with your mail in the morning or put it through the slot."

Sakon blinked down at him. "…what?"

"The hours of the post office are clearly posted on the door. I am now off-duty, so a good day to you, sir."

Without another word, The Postman slipped inside the post office and closed the door. Sakon stared at the closed door a long moment, trying to figure out what had just happened. Reaching out with one of his crutches, he banged on the door.

"The post office is closed!" The Postman yelled through the door.

Sakon scowled and banged again.

"Closed!"

"Stop it!" Sakon ordered, banging a third time. "Why are you refusing to talk to me? What did I do?"

"Sir, I have already told you that the post office is closed. Please leave before I yell for the guards."

Despite himself, Sakon looked over his shoulder for any nearby guards, then hit the door a fourth time. "What is your problem?!" he cried. "Stop being stupid!"

There was no answer.

"Fine, I get it. You're in a pissy mood, but will you at least help me down from this horse? I have a broken leg and can't get down."

Dead silence was his answer.

Sakon gave the door a dirty look. "You're an ass."

Without another word, Sakon turned the horse and left, knowing he had to figure out what was wrong with his friend.

The Postman was leaning against the other side of the post office door, head bowed and fists clenched. He hated himself for doing it, but he couldn't risk getting pulled into another adventure. Who knows what he would turn into if the adventures continued. He listened as Sakon's horse clopped away and let out a deep breath of relief. He really did feel like a jerk but it couldn't be avoided.

Looking up, The Postman felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight before him. A very familiar gold and silver sword lay waiting for him on the counter. He stared at it a long moment, feeling trapped. How did it get there? Where did it come from? Did Sakon put it there?

Cautiously approaching the counter, he reached out a hand towards it, the metal feeling warm and inviting to the touch. The Postman quickly grabbed it, opened the door and tossed it out as hard as could, hearing the metal skid as it hit the ground. He slammed the door closed after him, locked it then tossed his hat and bag on their proper hooks on the wall.

Having no appetite for supper, The Postman instead carried over the next day's mail to his desk to begin sorting it. There was quite a bit more mail than usual and when he had it all sorted neatly and efficiently into several piles, he went to bed.

His head barely hit the pillow before he was asleep and dreaming.

The Postman was in an endless field at the edge of a lake. Nothing but green grass and water could be seen for miles, the sun hot and breeze perfect. He was sitting by the lake on a plain white blanket, staring into the water contentedly. He had his mailbag beside him as he skipped stones across the water, everything calm and serene.

This was not the type of dream The Postman normally had and was immediately suspicious. He was dressed in his postal uniform and seemed to be in the process of a delivery but there was no one around. Reaching into the mailbag, his hand closed over a single letter and he pulled it out. There was no name on the front of the envelope and on the back there was a seal in the shape of a rose. The Postman stared long and hard at the letter, trying to decide whether to open it. It wasn't addressed to him or anyone else for that matter, so he finally just put it back in the bag.

The water of the lake was crystal clear and as he stared a long moment, everything began to change. The water became as black as ink and dark clouds began forming overhead. As the air turned cold, The Postman stood to his feet and slung his mailbag over his shoulder. Looking around himself, he stepped away from the water's edge and braced himself for whatever was about to come.

The wind got fiercer and fiercer and The Postman gave a shiver, looking up into the swirling sky in wonder.

"You do not deserve such dreams, monster." A voice rang out over the wind. "You will never find peace, not even in your dreams."

The Postman glanced around but the cloaked man was nowhere in sight. A fire ignited in the tree beside him and he stepped away, simply watching. The fires began spreading and within seconds, everything in sight was in flames. Smoke and heat blinded him and the screams of people dying filled his mind. He instantly recognized the screams. They belonged to his family.

The Postman woke with a start, drenched in sweat and looked all around the room with wide eyes. Taking a few gulping breaths, he sat up and looked at the clock. He'd only slept a little more than an hour. Letting out a groan, he stood to his feet, intent on distracting himself from the dream he could still clearly remember. As he approached his desk, his eyes fell on the sword which sat glinting at him in the darkness.

The Postman looked one way then the other but there was no one in the room with him. He took a few steps towards the desk and cautiously picked up the sword. He turned it over in his hands a few times then promptly approached the door and threw it outside. He heard a splash as it landed in the fountain and slammed the door, feeling satisfied with himself.

Lighting a lamp, he took a seat at the desk and began resorting the mail just to be sure everything was in order. There were now three letters to Ganondorf hidden away in his desk drawer and they made him feel uneasy. Could he really refuse to deliver them? It seemed wrong to do something like that. Not wanting to think about it too deeply, The Postman reorganized his desk a few times then tidied the entire post office. By the time he was finished, it was time for him to start his route and he couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Throwing on his hat and bag, he opened the door to be met with the sight of Sakon scowling at him.

"Making me get up at this ungodly hour just to beat your head in!" the thief complained. "I want an explanation!"

The Postman briefly noted Sakon had managed to get himself off the horse and that the thief looked completely livid. Schooling his expression carefully, he said.

"Good morning to you, sir. Do have mail you wish to have delivered?"

Sakon swung out at him with one of his crutches. The Postman stepped back to avoid it then locked the post office door.

"If you have mail to be delivered, just place it through the slot. I must get going now, sir."

"I'll shove you through the slot if you don't cut the crap!" Sakon threatened, shaking a crutch at him. "Why are you pretending you don't know me?"

"I don't know what you're taking about, sir." The Postman responded, turning away. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get started on my route."

When Sakon started hobbling after him, The Postman sped up so he wasn't able to keep up. Sakon yelled multiple obscenities at him, but The Postman never looked back.

The Postman hadn't gotten much sleep for two days now but forced himself to be friendly, polite and as efficient as always. His day went relatively smoothly, that is until Sakon found him. The thief rode beside him on the horse, glaring while clearly scheming something. When The Postman didn't acknowledge him, he finally spoke up.

"What are you mad at me for? What did I do?"

The Postman said nothing.

"Was it because I hit on one of your sisters?"

The Postman almost gave pause at that but dismissed it and said nothing.

"Well, what is it then?" Sakon demanded.

When The Postman gave no indication he'd heard, Sakon lashed out at him with a crutch and hit him across the head. The Postman stumbled but forced himself to give no reaction. Sakon let out a weary sigh.

"We've already done all this, darling. Do you think I'm another delusion or something? Do I need to smack you again?"

The Postman flashed Sakon an indifferent look. "Sir, please stop impeding my job. I am a civil servant and you're not allowed to interfere with the mail. Please go away."

"By the goddesses!" Sakon cried. "What is wrong with you?! Did the Blowfish send you back wrong? Why don't you know me? Why are you broken?"

The Postman kept his eyes straight ahead.

Sakon crossed his arms. "If you don't talk to me right now, I'm going to do something even I consider low."

"Please leave me alone, sir. You're going to make me late."

"Fine, be that way, you brain-damaged schmuck. I'm telling your mother you've gone off in the head."

Once again, The Postman almost gave pause but couldn't bring himself to look at the thief. There was silence a long moment, then Sakon turned the horse away.

"You're an ass." He commented, sounding extremely hurt. "A selfish ass. I wish you would just tell me what I did."

Without another word, Sakon rode away. The Postman stopped walking and clenched his fists until they white, eyes closed. He was doing the right thing. This way he wouldn't hurt anyone. His family and Sakon would be safe from him. Despite assuring himself of this, he really did feel like an ass.

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	2. Sakon's Persistence

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**********Authornote:**

**Shorter chapter this time because the next one is going to be quite long. I'll do my best to get it done by next weekend. :D  
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**********A huge thank you to my reviewers! Eight Reviews for one chapter! Super wow! Thank you so much, guys, you're awesome! ^_^  
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**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Sakon's Persistence

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That night, The Postman sat up for hours, tired but unable to sleep. It was almost 3am and he knew he could make it until six when he'd leave on his route. He felt guilty over treating Sakon the way he did and had a feeling the thief wouldn't give up so easily. He knew Sakon didn't understand why he was doing it, and probably thought something was wrong with him. The thief didn't know of the visions Parasite had shown him nor of the dreams, so The Postman knew his behavior probably seemed extremely bizarre. The Postman didn't want anyone near him at all until he figured things out and was certain no one would get hurt. He knew he could expect another visit from the thief and wondered what Sakon had in store for him.

Flipping the page in his book, he stared at the new page not really reading but thinking instead. He was tired enough to sleep but memory of the nightmares were still fresh in his mind so he let out a deep sigh. He figured the strange dreams were brought on by stress from the last adventure and wondered how long it would take him to get over it.

Rubbing at his eyes, he slumped over the desk and rested his chin on top of his arms, staring blankly at the book. He'd already reorganized everything in the post office multiple times and now had nothing to do. He didn't really have an interest in reading a cheap romance novel but it was the only book in the office. His brother Haru had left it behind a few months prior and he'd meant to give it back, but now it seemed rather pointless. He doubted Haru would want it back now anyway.

Tossing the book aside, he stared at a copy of his morning schedule feeling bored. His eyes were feeling extremely heavy and he let out another sigh, just wanting morning to come. Despite not wanting to sleep, slowly The Postman felt his eyes begin to close. They'd barely even closed when a sudden, loud, booming knock came at the door startling him into almost falling out of his chair. He stared at the door in surprise wondering who would be knocking this late at night. A second loud knock came.

"The post office is closed!" he called out.

There was another loud knock.

"We're closed!" The Postman said more firmly.

The knocking persisted, so The Postman let out a heavy sigh and approached the door. Pausing with his hand on the lock, he asked.

"Who is it?"

There was no reply.

The Postman was no coward but he also wasn't a fool so he allowed his hand to drop away from the lock.

"The Post office is closed. Please return in the morning." He said loudly through the door.

There was silence a moment then came a small, hesitant voice. "Brother? Brother, are you there? Open up!"

"Minoko?" The Postman asked in surprise, reaching for the lock.

Unlocking and opening the door, he was met with the sight of nothing. Furrowing his brow, he poked his head out and looked one way then the other but the town square was completely dark and deserted.

"Minoko?" he called out.

There was no reply.

Frowning, he rubbed at his eyes a moment then closed the door. He must be hearing things. Just how tired was he? Letting out a sigh, he turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Minoko standing just behind him. Looking from her to the door then back again, he asked.

"How did you get in here?"

"Brother..." Minoko said in a small, shaky voice.

Minoko was never one to act like a wilting flower so The Postman was concerned and stepped towards her. "What is it, Minoko? What's wrong?"

"Brother…I hurt." She replied, clutching her stomach in pain. "It hurts."

The Postman knelt down next to her, quickly growing worried. "What hurts? What happened?"

Slowly Minoko removed her hands from her stomach revealing a dark red stain on the front of her shirt. The wound was terrible and Minoko was pale and shaking.

"It hurts, brother."

The Postman completely panicked at the sight of the blood and reached out his hands towards the wound in an attempt to stem the bleeding. "How did this happen? Who did this to you?" he cried, not knowing what to do.

Minoko's eyes fluttered then she fell into his arms, gasping in pain. The blood seemed to be streaming out of the wound now her shirt now completely red.

The Postman scooped her into his arms, and looked around wildly for something that would help her. "We have to get you to a medic!"

"Too late…" Minoko whispered. "...Gonna die..."

The Postman stared down at her with wide eyes. "What do you mean 'too late'?! I'll get you help, you'll be fine!"

The Postman started towards the door as Minoko shook her head. "Knife went too deep, gonna die…hurts too much."

"Who did this to you?" The Postman demanded, opening the door. "Tell me who hurt you!"

Minoko met his eyes directly. "It was you."

The Postman froze, hand still on the doorknob. "…what?"

"It was you who killed me, brother. You stabbed me and you killed everyone."

"No." The Postman denied. "I would never!"

"You killed everyone. There was blood, so much blood everywhere." Minoko said, her voice cracking. "Mama, daddy, everyone is dead. You killed them all! They're all gone!"

"No."

"You're a monster." Minoko whispered as her eyes slowly closed. "I wish it was you that was dead. I hate you."

As Minoko went silent and still, The Postman felt a knot tighten in his chest. "Minoko?"

She didn't move.

"Minoko?!"

He gave her a shake to no avail and The Postman felt an overwhelming terror fill him.

"Everything you touch will die, monster." Came a now familiar voice from behind him.

The Postman spun around to see the cloaked man leaning in the doorway watching him. The Postman looked back down at Minoko and saw she was gone, his arms now empty.

"So, you have a sister." The man said casually. "It will only be a matter of time now until I find you and whatever family you've wormed your way into. No matter what you do, you cannot escape me."

The Postman didn't answer him.

"You will be the one to kill your own family." The man informed him. "The only way to avoid it is by your own death."

The man pulled something from his robes and The Postman gasped at the sight of his sister's severed head. Minoko grinned at him bloodily, her eyes staring directly at him full of hate. Her lips were mouthing the word 'monster' over and over again silently.

"This is the child's fate if you live."

The Postman woke so suddenly, he fell out of his chair and landed hard and awkwardly on the floor. Unable to breathe, he desperately gasped for air, rolling onto his side as he hyperventilated. Horror coursed through his whole body and he felt like he was going to be sick. Unable to move for several long minutes, The Postman finally got a handle on himself and took a few deep breaths.

Sitting up, The Postman glanced around the office and his gaze settled on the sword which lay just inches from him. He kicked out at it hard and it slid beneath the bed out of sight. Looking around himself, he confirmed that he was alone. It was just a dream. It wasn't real. No one was hurt. It was just a stress-induced nightmare. Taking another forced breath, he glanced towards the door as he heard the loud ring of the Temple's bells. Looking up at the clock, he saw he was going to be late for work.

The Postman quickly grabbed his mailbag and hat and approached his desk to get the daily mail. It was sorted into several neat piles as usual, tied together with string and The Postman picked up the bundles, hurriedly placing them into the mailbag. Ganondorf's mail was now up to five letters, so he reluctantly took them as well, not especially wanting to go near the desert but feeling he had no choice. He'd just hand them to the first Gerudo he came across, hoping they'd get delivered.

Heading towards the door, he paused at the sound of something being dropped through the mail slot. Approaching the box beneath the slot, he saw one single letter within.

Reaching down to pick it up, he turned it over so he could see who it belonged to. He was quite surprised when he saw his own name written on the front. He very rarely got mail and wondered who it was from.

Carefully ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the letter and unfolded it.

'Hey Darrlin,

I have a speshal suprise for you. Come outside.

-Sakon'

The Postman let out a heavy, irritated sigh and frowned down at the letter. He should have known it would be Sakon. Taking a quill out of his mailbag, he corrected the spelling then proceeded to stamp the letter 'Return to Sender'. Putting on his hat as he made his way to the door, he left the post office, ready to face whatever Sakon had planned.

Sakon was seated on the edge of the town fountain and he grinned wide when he saw him. He gave The Postman an eager wave and held out a large box of chocolates.

"I thought these might help you get over your PMS."

The Postman's response was to hold out the letter which Sakon took in surprise. Without a single word, The Postman turned and walked away.

"I don't get it!" Sakon yelled after him. "What did I do?!"

The Postman didn't answer and left the town square to begin his morning deliveries. He tried to put the letter and Sakon out of his mind and went to his first delivery at Lon Lon Ranch. Much to his displeasure, he was delayed as Talon first read his letter then wrote one in response. The Postman was exhausted from lack of sleep and didn't have much patience as Talon kept bouncing ideas off him for a good answer. He mindlessly answered Talon's questions and made suggestions as requested barely even paying attention. Thinking about the horrible nightmare he'd had that morning, he wondered if he should try having a drink before bed. Maybe that would take the edge off?

Talon gave him a really odd look and paused quill to paper.

"Uh, I don't think I should say that..."

The Postman realized he must have said something absentmindedly and rubbed at his eyes. What had he said? What were they even talking about? He couldn't remember. Apologizing, he made a half-hearted attempt to help Talon finish the letter.

When The Postman was finally on his way again, he was running a bit behind schedule. Glad he had the Pegasus boots so he'd be able to catch up, he left the ranch. Immediately upon stepping onto the field, he nearly had a heart attack as Sakon hobbled out from behind a tree. The thief gave him another grin and held out an enormous home-made card with a hastily drawn broken heart on the front with the words 'I'm Sorry'. The Postman raised an eyebrow then continued on his way without a single word. Sakon's smile faltered and he tossed the card aside with a sigh, watching as The Postman disappeared from view.

For the next few hours, The Postman delivered the mail without incident and he was in Kakariko village when Sakon next ambushed him.

Sakon had been hiding behind a pallet of crates and when The Postman passed him by, the thief thrust something into his arms which he took quite by reflex. Looking down, he saw it was a tiny grey kitten with an enormous red bow tied around its neck. It mewed up at him adorably, large green eyes full of love and The Postman stared at it not quite sure what to do.

Sakon looked incredibly proud of himself and gave him a grin, sure he would be forgiven. The Postman turned away from him without saying a word and headed back towards the field. He handed the kitten to the first child he passed, gave Sakon a pointed look then continued on his way. Sakon scowled down at the little girl who was cooing over the kitten then hobbled slowly out of the village after The Postman.

As The Postman ran across Hyrule Field, he wondered how long it would take Sakon to give up. The thief obviously had himself convinced he'd done something wrong and that made The Postman feel even worse about it. Sakon was his friend and although the thief tended to annoy him quite often, he still didn't want to hurt him.

He headed towards the Zora Domain to continue his deliveries and hoped Sakon wouldn't follow him. Luckily he didn't have any issues at all while delivering the Zora their mail and he then headed to the Gerudo Desert. He just wanted the day to be over, and for nothing else to go wrong. Luck never seemed to be on his side however and the moment he approached the Gerudo Fortress, he could see the Gerudos pointing towards him and whispering. Pushing aside any curiosity he had about the situation, he approached and was immediately stopped by a guard.

"Lord Ganondorf wants to see you." she informed him. "He's quite annoyed with you at the moment."

The Postman knew exactly what it was about. His little misadventure with the pirates had probably reached him and knew the Gerudo King was probably livid. Speaking with Ganondorf could drag him into another adventure of some sort so The Postman hesitated. He didn't know how or what the adventure would be but he just had a feeling something would happen. Something always happened whenever he involved himself with villains.

"Sorry, miss, that will put me behind schedule." he told her politely.

He held out the bundle of letters to her, which she eyed curiously but didn't take. "Could you please give these to Mr. Ganondorf?"

The Gerudo crossed her arms. "You cannot avoid what's coming to you." she informed him. "If Lord Ganondorf wants to break every bone in your body, then be a true Gerudo and face it bravely."

"He wants to break every bone in my body?" The Postman questioned in surprise. "Just for cross-dressing?!"

Every Gerudo stared at him first in surprise then in amusement. The guard smirked at him and shook her head. "He never said why he was angry with you..." she stated, clearly wanting to know the whole story. "Only that he wanted a word the next time you came with the mail."

The Postman had forgotten he was pretending the last few months hadn't happened and knew it was too late to start now.

"Sorry," The Postman said turning away. "I'm going to be late. I'll deliver Mr. Ganondorf's letters another time if you won't."

The guard caught him by the shoulder. "I said, Lord Ganondorf wants a word with you. The only reason we aren't dragging you to him is because you're now part of the clan. You can either walk there by your own volition or I will have you dragged there."

The Postman paused, trying to think of a way out of this. The guard's grip on his shoulder was so tight it was almost painful so he doubted he could run. He also doubted he could talk his way out of it. Gerudos were incredibly loyal and not easily swayed, more likely to punch him in the stomach than disobey their king.

"Well?" she demanded impatiently.

The Postman was about to answer when he was interrupted by a horrible sound in the distance. Looking up, he saw Sakon riding towards them strumming loudly on a guitar and singing completely off key.

"Ohhhhhh, Jihirooooo, can't you see I'm sorreeeeee, not sure what I did but it must have been meeeee!"

Sakon had completely covered the horse in roses that The Postman was almost certain were from the royal gardens and the thief continued singing out his apology. He obviously had no idea how to play a guitar and was just randomly strumming his fingers across the strings creating a terrible racket. The Postman recognized the guitar as belonging to the town bard and could only sigh in exasperation. When Sakon was in front of them, he sung even louder and even more off-key.

"Won't you forgiiiive meee? I'm really sorry, can't you seeee? Don't you know our friendship is meant to beeee?"

The Gerudos simply stared at the thief, clearly having no idea what was going on, then slowly turned their gazes to The Postman.

The Postman looked one way then the other but there was nowhere for him to go except into the desert. He doubted the Gerudos would let him leave so he really had no choice.

"I'll go see Ganondorf." The Postman relented, slowly edging his way through the crowd of Gerudos to get away from Sakon.

Sakon's song came to a finish and he held out a bunch of the flowers towards him expectantly. "Will you tell me what I did?" he asked. "Will you stop ignoring me now?"

The Postman continued edging away and didn't accept the flowers. He was beginning to wonder if Sakon honestly thought he was a girl. Chocolates, cards, kittens, flowers? What was Sakon thinking?! Without a word, he hightailed it into the desert.

Sakon let out a heavy, sad sounding sigh. He'd only ever had the one friend and now it looked like he was once again friendless. He looked up to see all of the Gerudos staring at him in amusement.

"I thought you were dead." one of the Gerudos stated.

"I changed my mind." Sakon answered, clearly pouting.

"Changed your mind about being dead?"

"Yeah? So?"

The Gerudos exchanged a look then shrugged, not really caring. "I think you're going about wooing The Postman wrong." the Gerudo guard told him.

"I wasn't trying to 'woo' him." Sakon snapped. "I was apologizing."

"Sure you were."

"He's being a complete jerk and won't speak to me." Sakon complained. "He won't even tell me what I did!"

"He doesn't need a reason." the guard informed him. "He's a Gerudo now so he's allowed to snub anyone he wants. I frankly don't blame him at all. You're a disgusting example of a man."

Sakon scowled at her. "Oh, what do you know." he said. "You're probably a lesbian anyway and wouldn't recognize a real man if you saw one!"

Every Gerudo drew their weapons and Sakon's eyes widened as he realized what he'd just said. "...oh, um, here you go! Pretty flowers for a pretty lady!" he exclaimed shoving the flowers into the guard's arms. "I should get going now..."

Then, without another word, Sakon turned the horse and rode off as fast as he could, the Gerudos staring after him with narrowed eyes.

"Want me to go after him?" a Gerudo volunteered.

"Naw, wait until his leg heals so that he's fair game. Then we can take the pleasure in re-breaking it."

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The Postman clutched the letters tightly as he approached Ganondorf's throne room, praying not to get sucked into another unwanted adventure. Staring at the throne room door a long moment, he finally raised his hand and knocked. Ganondorf's response came immediately and to The Postman's dismay, he sounded angry.

"ENTER." Ganondorf ordered.

The Postman did as he was told and pushed open the door. The moment he slipped inside, the door slammed shut after him, effectively trapping him inside.****

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	3. Ganondorf

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**Authornote:**

**This was going to be a long chapter but then i realized it would make much more sense if i broke it up into two parts. The good thing is that now you guys get an early update!. :D I'll try to get the next chapter out by the weekend.  
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**********A huge thank you to my reviewers! Ten Reviews for one chapter! Holy crap, guys! :D This is the most reviews I've even gotten on a single chapter! Woo Hoo! Thank you so much, guys, you're awesome! ^_^  
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**********Mira Moonshine**

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**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Ganondorf

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The Postman clutched the letters tightly as the door slammed shut after him. Knowing that couldn't mean anything good, he took a deep, steady breath to prepare himself. Looking up, he saw Ganondorf standing in the centre of the room, sword drawn in the midst of training hard. The Gerudo was soaked in sweat, his red hair stuck wetly to his forehead as he mercilessly attacked his shadow opponent. His expression was angry but focussed as he fought and he spared The Postman the briefest of glances out of the corner of his eye.

The Postman shifted awkwardly as he waited, staring down at the floor uncomfortably. He was so tired he could barely see straight and couldn't wait until this day was over. He did not have the energy nor the patience to deal with villains at the moment. He still had no idea if his nightmares meant anything or whether the cloaked man was real. He felt like he was beginning to lose his mind and rubbed at his eyes in exhaustion.

The shadow monster Ganondorf was facing noticed The Postman's lack of attention and gave a malevolent grin. Without any notice, it charged for The Postman, its sword raised for the kill, moving fast as a blink. The Postman saw the movement fast approaching him and before he even had time to think about it, the shadow was dead on the floor. The Postman stared down at the dead shadow monster in confusion, and then his eyes travelled to his hand. In it was the hero's sword gleaming brightly, its metal warm and feeling completely natural. Looking down at his waist, he saw a belt and sheath that wasn't there a moment before. Horrified, he was about to throw the sword far away from himself but Ganondorf snatched it out of his hand before he could.

The Postman gave a slow blink down at the puddle of shadow at his feet, then looked up at Ganondorf who was towering over him furiously.

Ganondorf wiped the sweat out of his eyes and bared his teeth angrily as he sheathed his own sword. "What in Din's name do you think you're doing, postman?!" he snarled. "Did I give you permission to kill my shadow demon?"

The Postman didn't answer, unable to take his eyes from the hero sword.

Ganondorf swung out his fist at The Postman furiously, fully expecting him to dodge as he always did. The Postman wasn't paying attention however and to Ganondorf's shock, his fist made full contact with the side of The Postman's head hard. The Postman was instantly floored, the back of his skull hitting the stone floor solidly with a crack. Ganondorf stared down at him in surprise then swore when he didn't move.

"Postman?"

There was no response so he nudged him with his foot. The Postman lobbed a bit but still didn't move. Ganondorf swore a second time and gave him a kick. There still was no reaction so he knelt down next to him to check his pulse. Ganondorf hoped he hadn't accidentally killed him, as he still had a use for The Postman, and touched his neck lightly with two fingers. There was a steady pulse so Ganondorf knew he'd only knocked him out. Standing up, he gave him another kick for good measure then went back to his training.

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The Postman was sitting by the lakeside once more. It was another hot, perfect day and he felt completely relaxed as he skipped stones across the water's surface. For a brief moment he forgot his problems and his exhaustion, simply revelling in the peace. A soft wind tickled his skin and he threw his last stone into the water absentmindedly.

"_Jihiro_." came a soft whisper on the wind.

The Postman looked one way then the other but there was no one in sight. Furrowing his brow, he wondered if he was hearing things.

Removing his mailbag so he could lay back in the grass, he stared up at the impossibly blue sky, not trusting this seemingly innocent dream. Everything was just a bit too perfect. He let out a heavy, resigned sigh, wondering when the nightmare would begin.

"_Jihiro_."

The wind carried his name and this time there was no denying it. He looked all around but he was still completely alone.

"...hello?" he said hesitantly.

"_Jihiro...you don't have much time. You need to listen to me."_

"Who are you and where are you?" The Postman asked.

"_The letter, Jihiro, read your letter_." whispered a feminine sounding voice.

The Postman frowned. What letter?

A warm gust of wind rippled over him in what seemed an almost affectionate touch and the voice came again, this time closer.

"_I cannot keep him from you much longer, brave Jihiro. Read your letter_."

The Postman was still completely alone by the lakeside and he was suspicious. "Who are you?" he asked.

"_Someone invested in your destiny_." came the reply. "_He cannot see you right now, so read your letter before he arrives_."

"What letter?"

"_The one I gave to you the last time I tried to shield you from him. The one you have been protecting without even realizing it. You created your own safe spot in your mind where he can not reach it. You placed the letter where you'd never let anyone take it."_

The Postman glanced down at his mailbag.

"_Yes, Jihiro, take the letter and read it. The contents will save your life and reveal your true destiny. Whatever you do, do not let him know you have it. He will lie, he will threaten, but never let him take it from you_."

The Postman stared long and hard at the mailbag, then he hesitantly reached inside. His fingers closed over the letter and he pulled it out, almost having forgotten about it. He stared at the rose emblem sealing the envelope, then gave another glance around.

"I will not be forced into having a destiny. I am a postman, not a hero."

"_Everyone has a destiny, it can't be avoided. No matter how you fight it, your destiny will find you. He is now coming, open your letter before he arrives_."

The Postman crossed his arms. "No."

The voice now sounded a bit panicked. "_Don't be a fool, Jihiro, I can't hold him back much longer. Open your letter!_"

"No. If it's so important, why don't you just tell me yourself?"

A gust of wind blew at him hotly. "_I cannot risk that he overhears! Quickly now_!"

The Postman stubbornly shook his head. "Who are you? And who is he? Why does he want to kill me?"

There was a long hesitation. "_He arrives. Be brave, Jihiro_."

With that, the gentle wind was gone and the sky began to darken. The Postman glanced up as there was a rumble of thunder, then slowly placed the letter back in the mailbag. A dark sounding chuckle crackled in the air around him and The Postman felt a shiver make its way up his spine.

"Back so soon, monster?" A familiar voice taunted.

The Postman quickly threw his hands up to cover his face as everything around him was engulfed in flames.

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Ganondorf paused from his training and glanced over at The Postman. The Postman was twisting and shaking like he was having a seizure, his teeth clenched and eyes squeezed tightly closed. Sheathing his sword, Ganondorf slowly approached The Postman and gave him a nudge with his foot. The Postman didn't wake, his thrashing becoming even more violent.

"Postman!" Ganondorf growled, giving him a solid boot to the side. "Wake up. That's an order!"

Slowly, The Postman's eyes opened and he gave a heavy blink, his gaze focussing on Ganondorf. Ganondorf scowled down at him, observing the glassy-eyed look and gave him another hard nudge.

"Are you awake?" he demanded.

The Postman gave a long blink. "..yes, sir."

Ganondorf gave a nod of satisfaction. "Good, now get off my floor."

The Postman awkwardly got to his feet, his head pounding and feeling like someone had rung his skull through a cheese grater. Ganondorf crossed his arms impatiently, taking note of the glazed look in The Postman's eyes then let out a sigh.

"You have a concussion." he stated. "You are pathetic. One hit and it nearly kills you."

The Postman wavered a step as he tried to get his bearings. "Sorry, sir."

"Hmph."

The Postman held out the letters, hoping Ganondorf didn't notice they'd gotten bent. "You mail, sir. Please accept it."

Ganondorf snatched the letters out of The Postman's hand gruffly, effectively giving him a papercut, and looked them over without interest. The Postman had started edging towards the door but Ganondorf was quick to notice.

"Not so fast, postman." he ordered. "There's a certain matter we need to discuss."

The Postman let out a sigh and turned back around. Ganondorf tossed the letters aside and then crossed his arms.

"Did you honestly think it was a good idea trying to trick Gerudo pirates by pretending to be a woman?"

The Postman rubbed at the back of his head a moment before answering. "Well, sir...it seemed like a good idea at the time..."

"Did it never occur to you to just ask them permission to board?"

"It did, but Sakon told me the pirates tortured any man who bore the desert emblem so I thought...well...I thought they'd say no."

"Sakon? Sakon is dead."

The Postman shook his head. "No sir, I brought him back."

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "How? You don't know any magic."

"That's why I went on a quest, sir, I was trying to help Sakon."

Ganondorf wasn't sure whether to believe him or not and gave him a skeptical frown. "And how exactly did you bring him back?" he demanded.

"I didn't at all, sir, it was the Windfish."

"Windfish?"

"Yes, sir. We had to travel to the Windfish's dream and defeat a parasitic worm that was trying to kill him. He brought Sakon back once we woke him."

Ganondorf let out an aggravated sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why do I even bother trying to get information out of you? Talking to you is like trying to talk to someone who has recently experienced brain death."

"Yes, sir."

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "If Sakon is alive, then why hasn't he reported to me yet?"

The Postman knew it was because Sakon was scared Ganondorf would kill him again. "I'm not sure, sir. He's still hurt so perhaps he's waiting to recover?"

"You better not be lying to me."

The Postman shook his head.

"Good." Ganondorf stated. "It's hard to find a good thief nowadays. Tell Sakon I want to see him."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and if you ever try to deceive a Gerudo again, I'll tie you in the middle of the market and let my warriors do anything they wish to you."

The Postman thought about that for a second and then let out a shudder. He could only imagine the horrible things the Gerudos could come up with if given the chance. He gave a nod to Ganondorf who narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I'm serious, you moron. You're on thin ice, and one more incident like this and you'll regret it."

"Yes, sir."

"Now," Ganondorf said, holding up The Postman's hero sword. "Where did you get this and where did you learn to use it?"

The Postman shifted uncomfortably at the sight of the sword. "I got it from the Windfish's dream."

Ganondorf sighed. "Of course you did."

"Now it won't leave me alone..."

"What?"

"The sword, sir. No matter how many times I throw it away, it keeps finding me. I think it might be stalking me."

"Hmm, sounds like you." Ganondorf stated dryly.

"Do you want it?" The Postman asked hopefully.

Ganondorf waved a hand over the sword then gave the blade a thoughtful look. "This sword can't be given away." he said, turning it over in his hand. "Its magic has been bound to you. No matter how many times you throw it away, it will always find its way back to you."

The Postman obviously looked disappointed because Ganondorf gave a chuckle at his expense. "You're part of the Gerudo clan so you should have something to protect yourself with."

He held the sword out to The Postman who refused to take it. "No thank you, sir. I should get going now if there's nothing else you need of me..."

"Remember what I said, postman. I expect unquestionable loyalty in everyone who serves me and if I ever catch wind of you betraying me, you will never see the light of day again."

"So I won't be tortured in the middle of the market?"

Ganondorf paused. "You'll be tortured then you'll never see the light of day again."

"Ah."

"Take care of your concussion, postman. I don't need any more brain damaged minions."

"Yes, sir."

As The Postman turned to head towards the door, Ganondorf snapped his fingers and the door unlocked.

The Postman all but ran from the room.

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Running across the desert, The Postman was relieved that his day was finally over. Ganondorf hadn't ordered him into another adventure as he'd feared, and hadn't broken any of his bones. It was definitely one of the better meetings between them.

As he passed by the Gerudo Fortress, the same Gerudo guard held up a hand to stop him. She looked him and down and then gave a shrug when she didn't see any noticeable injuries. She held out the bouquet of roses Sakon had given her, her expression clearly teasing.

"Your boyfriend left these for you."

The Postman let out a deep, exasperated sigh, causing her to smirk in amusement.

"I have a letter I need delivered." she informed him, pulling out a crumpled envelope from her pocket. "How long will it take to get there?"

The Postman carefully unrumpled the envelope and looked at the name on the front. 'Samira-Gerudo Pirate' . The Postman paused a moment to consider the distance then stated.

"Depends on the shipping method you choose."

The guard stared at the single stamp she'd placed on the front. "What's one stamp get me?"

"Standard service."

"Will you expedite it for free since we're part of the same clan?"

"No."

"Why not?" the guard demanded.

"The Postal Service is impartial. All customers are equal and have to have the proper amount of stamps on their letters or parcels."

The guard rolled her eyes. "Well, how many stamps to expedite it?"

"Four stamps for expedited and eight for next day."

"Screw that." the guard muttered. "Just send it regular.."

"Very well, miss." The Postman stated, placing the letter into his mailbag. "Anything else?"

"No, but take these stupid flowers. I think I'm allergic."

She shoved the roses into his arms and The Postman glanced down at them, having no idea what to do with them. Supposing it wouldn't hurt just to stick them in a vase somewhere in the post office, he gave her a nod. Without another word, he continued on his way.

As he ran across Hyrule Field, he was looking forward to hiding himself away in the post office for the rest of the day. Entering the castle gate, he saw large crowds of people everywhere and wondered what was going on. There seemed to be a lot of excitement and it took him a long moment of staring before he remembered it was the princess's birthday. Every year it was a holiday which large celebrations and feasts took place and no one had to work.

The Postman frowned. Oh, shoot, he'd forgotten it was a holiday. Oh well, he'd just put his time in as a holiday worked and get paid double-time. Carefully manoeuvring through the crowd, he was almost to the post office when his foot caught on a decoration and he tripped. He fell against someone hard and instinctively reached out his hands to steady himself as he looked up.

He stared into the face of Cremia who looked both horrified and outraged. It was then that The Postman noticed he had steadied himself by grabbing her breasts. He ripped his hands away, apologizing profusely, and was incredibly embarrassed. Cremia was clearly furious and her response to his apologies was to slap him so hard across the face his teeth rattled. The Postman staggered back and gave her another apology as she raised her hand to hit him again. He thrust the bouquet of roses into her hand then fled into the post office as fast as he could. He heard her kick the door and yell a profanity at him so he quickly locked it.

Turning away from the door, a glint of metal caught his eye and he paused at the sight of the sword waiting for him on the counter. It seemed Ganondorf was right and he couldn't get rid of it. Maybe he could melt it down or bury it on holy ground? He knew nothing of magic but certainly it couldn't reform itself?

The Postman was so intently staring at the sword, he didn't notice someone very slowly and quietly creep out of the closet. They snuck up behind him silently, and before he'd even realized what was happening, he was bound, gagged, blindfolded and shoved into a sack. The Postman struggled and fought but there was nothing he could do. There was a searing pain in the back of his skull then everything went black. He was completely helpless as he was dragged out of the post office like a sack of grain.

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	4. Doctor Splendid

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**Authornote:**

**Ugh, ok, explanation about this chapter. It's like 90% dialogue, so I apologize if any of you find it boring. This chapter is setting up something for much later, so i promise it's not pointless. :)  
**

**********A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**********Reiz16  
**

**********thisplaceilove**

**The Empty Lord  
**

**Nocturne of Eclipse **

**Chaos Wielder**

**Light-Sakura**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Doctor Splendid

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The Postman didn't remember dreaming at all this time. There was the sharp pain of being knocked unconscious then nothing but silence and darkness. When he started coming to, an undetermined amount of time later, he was terribly confused and didn't know what had happened. His head was throbbing painfully and for some odd reason he couldn't move. He opened his eyes and quickly discovered he was blindfolded with some sort of sack over his head. Forcing his fuzzy mind to focus, he realized he'd been kidnapped.

By the steady bounce beneath him, he also determined he was laying in the back of a cart. Shifting slightly and pulling against the ropes that bound him, he heard muffled voices whisper to one another. Two strong hands hoisted him upright and he struggled uselessly as he was propped up against the cart's side.

The Postman wasn't sure where he was or where they were taking him and tried to yell out, but the gag made anything he said unintelligible. Had the cloaked man found him? Was he really going to kill him as promised? Reacting on pure instinct, he kicked out with both feet as hard as he could and connected solidly with someone's stomach. He heard a yell, then a crash as they fell out of the cart hard. Feeling a certain satisfaction at that, he struggled all the harder.

The man he'd kicked swore angrily a few times, then quietly ranted to whoever else was in the cart. The Postman couldn't help but feel he recognized the voice. Everything was somewhat muted through the sack however, so he couldn't quite place it. His kidnappers were obviously being very careful with how loud they were now that he was awake, and he doubted he'd get another chance to kick them.

It was stuffy and hard to breath with a sack over his head but he could do nothing to remove it. His head was spinning from the blow he'd received and he hoped he didn't have brain damage after being knocked out twice in the same day. That would be just his luck. Wriggling against the ropes and sliding down to the floor of the cart as he fought to get loose, a rough hand pushed him back upright.

Realizing he wasn't going to escape when he was being this closely watched, The Postman let out a resigned sigh and went still. If he pretended to cooperate, perhaps they'd let their guard down? He would act meek and compliant to their demands then escape when he got the chance. Deciding that was the best course of action, he leaned heavily against the side of the cart, simply waiting.

He timed in his mind how long he had been awake and kept track until the cart finally stopped a couple hours later. He knew every bit of information could help in his escape and that he might have to backtrack the way they had come. The two kidnappers whispered something to one another then they each took a hold of The Postman and lifted him out of the cart. Not struggling in the least, The Postman allowed himself to be taken wherever they were going. Their footsteps went from walking on gravel to wood and he realized they'd entered a building of some sort. Many, many more muffled whispers suddenly surrounded him and he knew he was hopelessly outnumbered. He was sat down in a wooden chair and his kidnappers said a few things to the others then they began removing the bag.

The Postman felt cool, fresh air hit his face and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever these people had planned. Were they going to torture him or just kill him outright? No, they wouldn't have brought him all this way if they meant to kill him that easily. They obviously had something else up their sleeves.

The gag was pulled from his mouth and he took another deep breath, He felt clumsy hands untie his blindfold then it was pulled away, the sudden light in the room blinding him. He blinked a few times until his eyes focussed and then he froze in shock. He saw his entire family of fifteen surrounding him in a circle of chairs, staring at him. His eyes scanned his family carefully and he saw that Sakon was there too as well as Anju and a man he didn't recognize. His mother smiled at him warmly and held up a cup.

"Do you want milk in your tea, sweetheart?"

"...egh?" was the only response he could come up with.

His mother set down the cup beside him, seemingly not noticing that he was tied up and wouldn't be able to drink it.

"...Mum?" he questioned hesitantly, pulling at the ropes.

His mother exchanged a look with his father who was rubbing his chin nervously. Clearing her throat, she turned her eyes back to her eldest son.

"I know you're probably a bit confused at the moment..." she began.

The Postman glanced over at his twin brothers, obviously the ones who had kidnapped him and narrowed his eyes at them. Haru simply crossed his arms and scowled back at him, clearly the one he had kicked.

"You had me kidnapped." he stated, looking back to his mother.

She hesitated. "Yes...well, this is sort of complicated and I'm not sure how to explain it but-"

"This is an intervention." Sakon called out helpfully.

Jinaudi levelled Sakon with a 'look'. "Yes, thank you, Sakon. This is an intervention."

Someone could have taken a pictograph of the expression The Postman made. Both his eyebrows shot up in disbelief, staring at his family like they were from another planet.

"...what?"

His mother gave him a sympathetic look. "I know this isn't something you were expecting, darling but-"

"Please don't call me that."

"Uh, alright...as I was saying, you've been acting very strangely lately."

"He's been acting batshit crazy!" Sakon put in.

Jinaudi shot him another 'look'. "Sakon!"

Sakon held up his hands defensively. "Well, he was! He's gone crazy!"

"We're not going to be using that word during this...um, meeting."

The Postman simply stared at her. "You think I'm crazy?" he asked, looking down at the ropes binding him.

"Of course not, sweetheart! I just think you've been very stressed lately, and may not be handling things the best way you could."

"I'm not stressed."

"You had a psychotic episode during my wedding." Haru pointed out. "And may or may not have dressed as a woman."

The Postman winced. How could he explain that?

"Yeah, and are you going to finally tell me why you won't speak to me?" Sakon asked.

The Postman knew Sakon could have owned up to being the cause of the wedding fiasco but it was clear the thief had no intention of doing so. He shot Sakon a look of death and said nothing.

"Quit being so stupid!" Sakon yelled at him, grabbing his crutches and standing to his feet. "Tell me what's the matter with you, you stinking troll! Stop ignoring me!"

"Sakon, leave the room right this instant!" Jinaudi ordered. "We are providing a calm, understanding environment here! Stop causing trouble!"

The Postman's eyes widened. Calm environment?! He was tied to a chair!

Sakon crossed his arms with a scowl. "Well, it's not my fault he's broken. I think he lost the last few brains he had in that big head of his, and now he's just being a jerk!"

It was clear Sakon was just hurt and didn't really mean what he said but Jinaudi still pointed to the door. "Out."

"Fine." Sakon snapped, stomping the best he could out of the room. "I'll be on the porch."

They heard the back door slam as he left and Jinaudi turned her attention back to her son. "Yes, as Haru said, you've displayed some worrying behaviour lately." thinking back to The Postman's screaming, hysterical fit at the wedding, she shook her head. "And your language is..much broader than I realized as well."

Minoko flashed him a grin from across the room. "Yeah, I learned some new words!"

The Postman slumped and turned his eyes to Haru. "I'm really sorry, Haru. I completely ruined your entire wedding..."

Anju reached out and took Haru's hand, giving The Postman a soft smile. "It's alright." she told him. "We've decided to reschedule the wedding for after...in a few months."

The Postman was a little slow on the uptake and didn't realize why she was being so vague. "After the baby's born?" he questioned.

Anju's eyes widened to the size of saucers as the whole family instantly turned to look at her in shock.

"JIHIRO!" Haru bellowed at him angrily.

The Postman hadn't realized the rest of the family didn't know and winced. "Oops."

"No, no, Haru, it's alright, don't get angry at him." Anju assured him. "We should have been forthright about it in the first place. It's fine that the family knows."

Haru gave one last glare at The Postman, gave a sigh then slumped back in his seat. The Postman's mother rung her hands together nervously as she stared at him a moment.

"You work very hard, dear, everyone knows that and I think you might need a little help with the stress." she turned her gaze to the stranger. "This is Doctor Splendid, a psychiatrist all the way from up North. He's a specialist in stress-disorders."

The Postman stared blankly at the strange, balding man not sure how to respond to that. The doctor gave him a polite smile and nod.

"You do think I'm crazy." The Postman stated.

"Everyone gets stressed." the doctor said calmly. "I've spoken to your family about you, Jihiro, and it seems like you've been through a lot these last few months. I would like to talk to you about it if you like."

"Um, no thank you."

"I know you're the type of person that tries not to bother people with your poblems, but this is extremely important. It's gotten to the point where you and the people around you are starting to get hurt. This is a large concern to me as a doctor and I really think you need to talk to somebody about it."

The Postman only felt frustrated and tugged at the ropes. "Will someone please untie me?"

"If I untie you, will you run?" his mother questioned.

The Postman hesitated a moment too long.

His mother let out a sigh. "That's what I thought. You can't keep avoiding your problems like this."

"I'm not avoiding anything."

The Postman's father, Makoto, spoke up for the first time. "First you joined Ganondorf and went into hiding, then you disappeared during that horrible drought without a word to anyone, you made a spectacle of yourself at the wedding, and then you're seen in a dress riding horseback across the fields, then you're found beaten within an inch of your life on the beach, then you disappear a second time and according to Sakon you've haven't been acting yourself since."

"And he got a tattoo!" Minoko pointed out.

"It's a burn, not a tattoo." The Postman grumbled.

"Don't you see how concerned we are?" Jinaudi asked. "Talk to us, tell us what's wrong! Is it Ganondorf? Has he been coming after you again?"

The Postman knew in order to explain everything, he'd have to tell them about his forced destiny, the visions of blood and death, his alliance with the Gerudos, the strange man in his dreams, the prediction that he would become a monster and the fact he had taken his first kill. How could he possibly explain any of that to them? The Postman knew there was no way he could, so he simply hung his head and said nothing.

"No one's mad at you, sweetheart," his mother assured him. "we're just concerned."

Doctor Splendid approached him, studying his expression, then adjusted his spectacles as he thought. "I think there might be a few things you don't want to discuss in front of your entire family?" he questioned.

When The Postman didn't answer, the doctor gave a nod. "You don't have to talk right now if it makes you uncomfortable. How about if we discuss this in private tomorrow morning after things have calmed down?"

The Postman still remained silent.

"Please, Jihiro, please agree to see the doctor. You don't have to tell me anything at all as long as you're getting help. Will you do it for me? For your family?"

The Postman felt a wave of guilt at the pain he'd caused and found himself nodding to appease her.

"Do you promise?" she prompted. "No disappearing during the night?"

Again The Postman nodded.

Jinaudi let out a deep sigh of relief. Reaching out to untie him, she said. "Haru will cover your mail route for tomorrow, so I don't want you worrying about it, alright?"

The Postman knew there was no point in arguing so he said nothing at all. The moment he was free, he rubbed at his arms a moment, carefully not making any eye contact. Then, without a word, he turned and headed towards the back door. Haru jumped to his feet about to charge after him, but Jinaudi lifted her hand to stop him.

"But Ma!" Haru protested, pointing.

"He won't break his promise." she said confidently.

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Sakon glared moodily at nothing in particular and kicked at the wooden post in front of him. It figured that he would be the one thrown out. He was only trying to help, but did that matter? Of course not! He didn't know why he even bothered trying, it always ended up backfiring on him.

Sakon was swinging on the deck's chair-swing, trying unsuccessfully to get his temper under control. Stupid postman, stupid broken leg, stupid conscience. He could do without any of them. Kicking the post again, he crossed his arms, wondering how the intervention was going. The Postman had gotten pretty beat up during the fight with Parasite and despite his annoyance over being ignored, he was still worried. Had The Postman hit his head a bit too hard against that rock? Did the Windfish do something to him?

Sakon was quickly getting bored and was considering going back inside to be nosy when he heard the screen door open. Glancing over, he saw The Postman standing in the doorway staring at him. Sakon kicked the post again and looked away.

The Postman could clearly see Sakon was angry and didn't blame him in the least. Approaching, he took a seat next to him silently, fists clenched tightly. After a minute or two of watching Sakon kick away at the post, he spoke up.

"I'm sorry."

Sakon paused, then looked over at him. He only said one word. "Why?"

"It's complicated..." The Postman began, looking away across the fields. "I just didn't want you to get hurt."

Sakon squinted at him, trying to make sense of it. "Something happened on the island that you're not telling me."

The Postman wasn't sure whether to tell Sakon anything or not. The thief wasn't exactly trustworthy, but he did deserve an explanation of some kind. Still not making eye contact, he simply replied. "Yes."

Sakon furrowed his brow and stopped kicking the post. "What happened? It must have been something serious for you to act all screwy like this."

Digging at the arm of the swing with his nails, The Postman hesitated a long moment. "I was given a vision of the future by the gods."

He now had Sakon's complete attention. "What gods?"

"I don't know. It may have been the Windfish, but I'm not certain."

"What kind of vision? What happened?"

Again The Postman went silent as he stared down at the deck.

"Was it bad?" Sakon prompted, getting impatient.

"The future I saw was my own, Sakon, and it wasn't good. I killed a lot of people and became a monstrous villain."

Sakon simply stared at him and blinked a few times as he processed that. He then let out a snort of amusement and shook his head. The Postman glanced over at him and Sakon giggled as he thought about The Postman being a villain.

"That's what you're so worried about?" he demanded. "You'd never make a good villain; you can't even kill a Skulltula! What are you going to do, give everyone papercuts if they don't do as you say?"

Sakon smirked at him but The Postman still shook his head. "I saw it Sakon, I was there. I was right in the middle of a massacre. I could taste the smoke, feel the heat of the flames and even smell the blood on my skin. The vision was real."

"The gods obviously have you mixed up for someone a little less pathetic, darling. Postmen do not became rampaging lunatics...unless you mess with their mail. Did you see anyone tampering with mail in your vision?"

The Postman shook his head.

"Then it was obviously not you."

The Postman dug his nails into the armrest so hard, he felt a sliver of wood pry up. "I don't think you understand, Sakon. I was told the gods have been molding me into a warrior to use as their pawn; that everything that has happened to me these last few months have been their doing."

"What things? You mean our adventures?" Sakon questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And who told you this?"

"Parasite told me a bit and then there's a man in a black cloak..."

Sakon let out a longsuffering sigh. "You shouldn't take advice from tapeworms, darling, they never mean well."

"It didn't seem like a lie to me..."

"You're too gullible. Who was the man in the cloak?"

The Postman gave a shrug. "I don't know, I couldn't see his face and he wouldn't tell me who he was."

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to stay away from creepy old men in cloaks? That was like the first thing I remember my uncle telling me to do. I don't suppose this man was lurking in a dark alley as well, was he?"

"He calls me 'monster' and shows me what I'll become and the people I'll hurt." The Postman finally met Sakon's eyes. "He told me I was going to kill you and my entire family if I wasn't stopped."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Sakon challenged.

"I don't know what to believe."

"Can you really picture yourself raising a weapon against your family? Against me? Against anyone for that matter?"

The Postman shook his head. It made him feel sick even thinking about it. "I killed Parasite."

"It was an evil tapeworm, darling, get over it. No one is going to think you're evil for killing a tapeworm."

"I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You're acting like you have no choice. If you don't want to kill someone, then don't. It's as easy as that."

"It seemed so real..."

"You're a postman, you can't get any more boring than that. If you want to be boring for the rest of your life then it's your call. Don't let creepy old men tell you any different."

The Postman would never have thought Sakon was capable of giving good advice but the thief had a valid point. No one was forcing him to do anything. He could stay and be a postman forever if he wished. He didn't have to do as was predicted, he could just refuse and carry on with his life. He gave Sakon a somewhat shaky smile who carefully got to his feet with the crutches.

"Are you done being a moron now? Can we go back inside and eat leftover wedding cake?"

The Postman felt like a heavy weight lifted off as his shoulders as he gave a nod.

"Great!" Sakon said, his attention immediately on other matters. "Me and your little brat sister were having a disagreement about who'd get the piece with the rose, and I want to beat her to it."

"You could have told them the wedding disaster was your fault, by the way." The Postman pointed out.

"I was mad at you." Sakon replied, as if that explained everything. "I also told them you got drunk."

The Postman simply sighed. Maybe he could use that as an excuse for his strange behaviour? He could tell them he had a bit too much champagne at the wedding and things got out of control?

"So, who healed you anyway?" Sakon questioned as he hobbed towards the door. "Fairies and potions wouldn't work on us for some reason."

The Postman frowned. "I don't know."

"Was it Ganondorf do you think?"

"I don't know."

"He'd probably have the power to do it if he wanted. He doesn't even know I'm alive so maybe that's why I didn't heal?"

"He knows you're alive and wants to see you once you're healed."

Sakon paused mid-hobble. "What? How'd he know?"

"I told him." The Postman answered truthfully.

Sakon scowled at him. "Thanks. Thanks a lot. Now I don't get an extended vacation like I was planning."

"Sorry."

"Whatever, let's just go eat cake."

As The Postman followed Sakon into the house, his eyes lingered on the fields a moment, feeling like he was being watched. He saw nothing, so he quickly dismissed it and entered the house.

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**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

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That night The Postman fell asleep almost immediately, his body desperately trying to get some much needed rest.

Once again, he was in the peaceful field by the lakeside. The Postman stared up at the sky, wishing it would last the whole night but doubted he'd be so lucky. He felt a familiar hot breeze brush past his cheek and he glanced around, looking for signs of the mysterious woman. He was completely alone.

"_Jihiro._"

Determined to ignore her, he stared down into the lakes surface. His own reflection looked back at him sullenly.

The wind became a bit more persistent and blew his hat off. "_Jihiro._"

The Postman rested his chin on his knees, still not answering.

"_I know you can hear me, Jihiro_." she said confidently. "_This is important, I need you to listen very carefully_."

When The Postman gave no reaction, she continued nonplussed. "_I am able to protect you from him while we speak, but we have to make it quick. I need you to read the letter I gave you."_

"No."

"_I don't think you understand just how important it is, how important you are_."

"No," The Postman corrected. "I think I understand perfectly well. You expect me to become the monster you've been grooming me to be."

"_No, Jihiro, you're not a monster, but you __are__ a warrior. Your heart and soul are meant to fight, meant to overcome the world's hardships. You're much stronger than even you realize."_

"I won't be any part of it."The Postman replied, stubbornly_._ "I'm a postman and nothing more. You've made a mistake."

The wind blew all around him. "_There is no mistake. Your destiny has been known to us for over a thousand years. You will fight_."

The Postman narrowed his eyes. "You're a goddess."

"_Yes, Jihiro, I am your protector. As you are destined to fight, I am destined to help you_."

"Which goddess? Who are you? Why are you so interested in me?"

"_It is not the time for you to know who I am, brave Jihiro. The world you know is depending on you._"

"So the visions I was shown were false?" The Postman asked, looking up. "I'm destined to be the hero, not the monster in need of stopping? I won't kill anyone?"

The goddess hesitated.

"I'm not a hero and I don't kill." The Postman stated with finality. "Find someone else to be your pawn."

"_If you just read the letter, you'll understand everything._" the goddess stated. "_I cannot promise that you won't kill, but I __can__ promise you'll save everyone and everything you know. Your destiny is too great for you to fight._"

"No. It won't be me," The Postman said, his voice getting an edge to it. "I'm telling you, right now, straight up, it won't be me. Find someone else to rest all of your hopes on because I refuse."

"_You cannot_."

The Postman crossed his arms, challenging her to prove him wrong. "Then I dare you to make me. I won't leave my job, I won't fight anyone, I won't save anyone and I definitely won't kill anyone. There's nothing you can do about it. Find someone else."

Upon later reflection, he realized it likely wasn't wise of him to outright challenge a goddess like that, but at the moment he was angry and stressed and didn't care. He was at the end of his ropes with everyone meddling in his life and he was going to make it stop one way or another.

A hot gust of wind hit him so hard, he fell back in the grass and had to close his eyes as it howled around him.

"_You will __not__ defy me, Jihiro! I am not used to being denied what I want and you won't like what I'll do if you __continue__ to disobey! You will read your letter, you will go on your quest and you will be grateful I don't smite you for your lip. I will not put up with this obstinance."_

The Postman sat up, his expression positively livid, and slowly reached into his mailbag without a word.

"_Yes, Jihiro, read you letter_." she said approvingly

Pulling out the letter, he turned his gaze to the sky defiantly, and then proceeded to tear it up into tiny pieces.

"I refuse."

There was a roar of anger, and the hot wind knocked him down a second time, scattering the pieces of the letter across the field.

"_Fool!_"

"I said, I refuse, now please leave me in peace."

"_Fine, you made your decision, but you will regret it." _the goddess hissed_. "Destiny cannot be fought_._ I will have my warrior_."

Without another word, she was gone and The Postman woke with a start.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy! :D**


	5. Therapy

**Authornote:**

**Once again...Ugh. So sorry I've been absent so long! I was quite sick again and had no access to the internet to write. :( This chapter is quite short but i already have the next chapter all written so it'll be out once i edit it a bit. There won't be a month wait this time, i promise!  
**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Mira Moonshine**

**The Empty Lord  
**

**Nocturne of Eclipse**

**Chaos Wielder**

**Light-Sakura**

**SCUPizzaBoy**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

* * *

**Blood of The Postman**

Therapy

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The Postman thrashed as he awoke but quickly calmed when he realized there was going to be no nightmare. The Postman took a deep breath and then glanced towards the window. It was still dark out and he flopped back down with a groan. Sakon was snoring loudly beside him, completely oblivious, and was once again taking up most of the bed and blankets.

The Postman stared up at the ceiling thinking about the goddess in his dreams. He'd never actually met or spoken to a goddess before and wondered who she was. She seemed to have a foul temper so it made him think of Din. Din didn't normally associate too closely with mortals as she was quick to anger and also quick to smite. She was the goddess of war and power, the Gerudos' chosen goddess and she seemed the most likely one to be responsible.

The Postman rubbed at his eyes tiredly. Why was Din so interested in him? Was she responsible for his brother Ichiro's disappearance? Who was the cloaked man in his dreams? Was he a god? The Postman thought of the letter the goddess had given him. Maybe he should have read it...

Rolling over, he fell back asleep, his mind still troubled. This time he had no protection from the nightmares and it didn't take long before his dreams became dark.

The Postman walked through a scene of devastation, a blasted terrain of steaming pits and smoking craters. The air tasted of ash and sulphur, the sky grey with smoke, lighting up with the occasional flash of lightening. Around the area moved hundreds of mysterious figures in dark cloaks, all with their hands raised to the sky in worship.

The Postman watched as they walked along, their voices in perfect unison as they sang upwards in a strange language. They began passing him by as if he wasn't even there and he caught a glimpse of what lay beneath their hoods. Their faces had no discernable features, looking more like lumps of clay that hadn't yet been sculpted. They sang with no mouths and saw without eyes; the figures were completely blank in every way.

The Postman was sick of being intimidated and knew whoever was responsible was likely watching.

"I don't know who you are," The Postman yelled out. "But know this, I refuse to be a part of whatever you and that goddess have planned! I will not be forced into a destiny I don't want! I'm just a postman and I want you to leave me alone! I want nothing to do with it!"

The air around him seemed to shift slightly. "Oh, so you're a postman, are you?" the familiar voice said thoughtfully. "That will narrow down my search for you considerably."

"Leave me alone!" The Postman yelled out angrily.

"I will find you and you will die, monster. Now it's only a matter of time..."

The air around him seemed to compress, nearly suffocating him and for the second time that night, The Postman awoke with a start. He took a few deep breaths then glanced towards the window. It was now early morning, about the time he'd usually get up to start his mail route.

He saw a light from the other room and knew his father had gotten up to get ready for work. Not wanting to lay in the darkness any longer, he slipped out of bed and left the bedroom silently. Most of his siblings had left last night to go to their own homes, but the remaining six were seated at the table eating breakfast. All eyes were immediately on him and he purposely ignored them, taking a seat next to one of his brothers. Not meeting anyone's eyes, he poured himself a bowl of Deku Flakes without a word.

"Your appointment is at eight." his father informed him. "Doctor Splendid is staying at the Stock Pot Inn."

The Postman gave a nod, pretending he was too interested in his bowl of cereal to answer.

"Jihiro?"

The Postman hesitantly glanced up.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." his father stated, giving his son a kind look. "Most people see a psychologist at least once in their life. You'll be fine."

The Postman gave another nod.

"Aw, you mean he's not crazy?" Minoko piped up. "I thought he was finally going to get interesting."

"Minoko!" The Postman's father scolded. "Go get ready for school before you get yourself in trouble!"

"I think I should get the day off due to the family emergency." Minoko replied.

"Nice try."

Obviously pouting, Minoko placed her empty bowl in the kitchen sink then scampered off.

The Postman ate his cereal in silence and to his family's credit they said nothing more to him. When he was finished, he left the house to go for a run, hoping to forget about things for a while. Ever since he was young, he'd go out running whenever he was angry or upset, letting off some steam so he could think rationally. This day was no different and he ran long and hard across the fields, thinking of nothing in particular. The sun was well up when he finally stopped and he knew it was almost time for his appointment. Tempted to skip it entirely, he let out a sigh and trudged in the general direction of Clock Town. He could suffer through one appointment however pointless it was and then his life could finally return to normal.

A few minutes later, The Postman stopped just outside of Stockpot Inn and stared at the wooden door with a frown. He had absolutely no desire to talk with a psychiatrist and was still tempted just to leave. Knowing his family would never let the issue go if he did, he opened the door.

The girl at the front desk gave him a smile as she always did and he hesitated a long moment, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Do you have a letter for me, postman?" the girl prompted after a time.

"Um, no miss... I was wondering if you could tell me which room Doctor Splendid is in?"

She hesitated a moment, knowing exactly what profession the doctor was in, but smiled at him all the same. "Oh course! He's in the room at the top of the stairs."

The Postman gave her a polite nod. "Thank you, miss."

He passed by the counter and headed up the stairs, feeling resigned. He'd just tell the doctor what he wanted to hear, and then he'd hopefully be through with all of this.

When he knocked at the door, it was opened immediately, and Doctor Splendid smiled at him widely, motioning him inside.

"Jihiro!" the doctor greeted. "Right on time!"

The Postman wasn't sure whether he should be offended or not. Of course he was on time! Letting it slide since the doctor didn't know him, The Postman entered the room, the door being closed after him.

"Please, take a seat!" the doctor invited. "Anywhere you like! You can also lie down if you like. Whatever makes you most comfortable."

There were at least ten chairs in the room, all vastly different. There was everything from a large ornate chair that greatly resembled a throne to a velvet covered armchair. The Postman looked at all the chairs, curious about them but ultimately chose a simple straight-backed wooden chair. The doctor was watching him closely and seemed interested in his choice. He sat across from The Postman in the armchair, then took a notepad and quill from a nearby table.

The Postman stared at the floor silently as the doctor studied him for a long moment. The gaze made him uncomfortable, like he was being evaluated, and he fiddled absentmindedly with a small hole on the leg of his pants as he waited. Finally the doctor decided to begin.

"I know you find having to talk to me frustrating, Jihiro, but do you understand why your family is concerned?"

The Postman gave a nod. He really could understand their point of view, but he still didn't want to talk to a psychiatrist.

"How much are my parents paying you?" he demanded. "They can't afford a doctor."

The doctor waved him off. "Don't you worry about it."

"Whatever this is costing them, bill it to me instead."

"I said not to worry about it."

The Postman was about to argue but the doctor quickly interrupted him. "Now, Jihiro, was there anything in particular you'd like to discuss today?"

The Postman shook his head.

"Nothing at all? Nothing about the last couple months?" the doctor asked, giving him an encouraging smile.

"No."

"Come now, there must be something you've found stressful? We can discuss anything you like; everything here is confidential."

"There's really nothing I want to talk about. I like my job and I'm not stressed."

The doctor gave him another thoughtful look, scratching at his beard as he did so. "Your family and I discussed a great many things, Jihiro and I see that they're right. You're in denial about your stress."

"I'm not in denial over anything!" The Postman protested hotly.

"Hmm."

The Postman let out an exasperated sigh and crossed his arms.

"Jihiro, with your permission, I'd like to try something with you."

"Try what?" The Postman asked, not sure if he should be suspicious or not.

"Well, there's a new type of therapy I've been working on for the past few years. It involves hypnosis and memory delving."

The Postman raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"I know how it sounds, but I've had great success with it in the past. I think you'd be a prime candidate."

"There's nothing wrong with me." The Postman defended.

The doctor gave a nod. "That may very well be the case, but if you want me to vouch 100% for you to your family then this is your best option since you're not up to talking."

"I thought this was confidential?"

"Anything you talk about is confidential but I will tell your family if they should be concerned."

"I don't even believe in hypnosis." The Postman stated, not liking the way the session was beginning to turn. Was this psychiatrist a whack-job?

"Then you shouldn't have any problem agreeing to it." Doctor Splendid pointed out, still smiling at him encouragingly.

The Postman wasn't convinced. "Exactly what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to place a light sleeping spell to put you more easily into the trance." the doctor explained. "Then I'll simply ask you some basic questions and if I'm satisfied, I'll let your family know you're perfectly fine."

"What sort of questions?"

"If you have nothing to hide or be ashamed of then you have nothing to worry about." the doctor answered.

The Postman frowned at him.

"I won't ask anything too personal." the doctor assured him. "I don't care anything about your lovelife, so I won't ask."

The Postman hesitated. "...that won't be an issue..."

"Are you willing to give it a try?" the doctor asked.

The Postman knew he had nothing to hide as he wasn't a criminal so he wasn't overly concerned with what the doctor would ask. If doing this made everyone leave him alone then it was worth considering.

"Will it take long?" he asked.

"It all depends on what your subconscious and I talk about. You'll be asleep and won't remember much of the conversation if any at all."

The Postman doubted it would work anyway, so he gave a nod. "Fine."

The doctor beamed at him and quickly stood to his feet. "Excellent! Now, I'll need you to lay down on the bed so that you don't fall and hurt yourself when I place the spell on you."

The Postman had never actually seen hypnosis work before so as he stood and approached the bed, he was certain the doctor was going to end up disappointed. The doctor rolled up the sleeves of his tunic as The Postman took a seat on the bed and began rubbing his hands together preparing himself to cast the spell. The Postman watched as a pale blue magic crackled as the doctor concentrated his energy.

Doctor Splendid glanced down at him, his eyes cloudy with concentrated power. "Are you ready?" he asked. "I'm going to put you to sleep."

As soon as The Postman nodded, he felt a heavy tiredness hit him like a brick and he fell back onto the bed, his eyes closed before he even hit the mattress.

"Jihiro!"

The Postman heard doctor Splendid's call and wondered why he wasn't asleep.

"Jihiro! WAKE UP!"

Had the doctor done the spell incorrectly?

"WAKE UP! Jihiro! Snap out of it!"

The Postman opened his eyes, fully expecting to see the disappointed expression of the doctor. Instead he saw unmistakable terror in the doctor's face, the man's eyes were wild with fear and he was holding his arms out as if to protect himself. That was when The Postman realized he was no longer laying in bed, he was standing atop the table, sword pointed at the doctor's throat who was cornered against a wall.

Doctor Splendid had four bloody scratches across his face that looked like someone had clawed him and his clothes were torn and bloody. The Postman dropped the sword in shock and stared at the carnage that used to be the room. Nearly the entire room was destroyed, pieces of furniture everywhere and The Postman realized he was out of breath, his heart still racing from recent adrenaline. It seemed that the magic sword had followed him once more.

Doctor Splendid stared up at him in terror, and The Postman slowly stepped down from the table. The Postman closed his eyes and turned away, hunching his shoulders as he ran his fingers through his hair stress-fully The doctor had somehow managed to make the monster within him wake. He'd been hoping he could hide from it, deny it, but it looked like there was still a darkness within him that he couldn't deny. The Goddess had made him a monster and it was clear it would not be so easy to refuse her.

Turning his eyes to the doctor as the man slumped down against the wall, he whispered. "...I'm sorry." then fled from the room.

He ran as fast as he could out of Clock Town, just wanting to get as far as possible. He knew he couldn't just leave Termina as he'd promised his family he wouldn't, so he headed back towards his parents' farm. It had been eight in the morning when he'd entered the inn, but now it was mid-afternoon. Where had all those missing hours gone? What had the doctor asked him? What had he been doing all that time? The Postman was sure he didn't want to know.

When he reached his parents' house, he entered, hoping to simply hide out for the rest of the day. Luck was never on his side, however, and the moment he stepped through the door, his mother popped her head out from the kitchen.

"THERE you are!" she exclaimed. "What took you so long? You've been gone all day!"

The Postman had no reasonable answer for her so he replied. "I went to the market after my appointment."

"Oh, well, did you and Doctor Splendid have a nice chat?"

The Postman winced. "Um...well, I doubt he'll want to see me anymore..."

His mother gave him a smile. "I'm glad he thought you're alright! That's relieving news!"

The Postman averted his eyes. "...yeah."

"I do have some bad news for you though, dear."

The Postman instantly looked up. "What happened?" he demanded.

"It's your cousins Takashi and Roshii, they died early this morning. They got into an accident on their mail routes."

"...both of them?"

His mother gave a nod looking a bit puzzled herself. "It was very bizarre...They live on opposite sides of the country but they both died approximately the same time this morning."

"What happened?"

"Takashi was hit by a runaway cart and a large brick fell off a building and hit poor Roshii in the head. Nobody did it on purpose, it was just two horrible accidents."

The Postman frowned. He hadn't been too particularly close to his cousins but there was one thing that gave him pause. Both cousins were almost the exact same age as him.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy!**

**Naw, who cares about all this, right? The real mystery in this chapter is what the cereal Deku Flakes are. Is it shredded Deku Nuts or is it Deku Scrub dandruff? We will never know. lol**


	6. The Postman's Job

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! See, i kept my word, and didn't disappear for a month! Looks like I lost several readers because of my absence...I hope they see that i'm back! I have the next chapter all written and am just editing it. The update should be up in just a couple days.**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
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**thisplaceilove**

**Light-Sakura**

******Chaos Wielder**

******The Empty Lord**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

The Postman's job

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The Postman told his family nothing of what he knew or what had happened at the psychiatrist's. As far as he was concerned, it would never happen again as he refused to put himself into such a situation again. His family believed everything he told them without question and The Postman wasn't sure whether he should feel guilty about that. He knew he was only protecting them and everything he did was necessary. Sakon however, was a born liar and could sense his deceit easily. Although The Postman maintained his story that nothing had happened, the thief was still suspicious.

Since his family thought he was miraculously 'healed', no one had any problem with him leaving to resume his mail route. He left very early the following morning to travel back to Hyrule and Sakon followed him on the horse, still unable to walk. The Postman had been told to return home to Termina to attend his cousins' funerals and every postman nationwide was to take the day of the funeral off. The family decided it best to have a double funeral in central Termina so that the entire family could attend to pay their respects.

The sun had barely begun to rise but the day was already hot and stifling. The Postman and Sakon were making their way across Hyrule field, heading towards town and both were arguing loudly. Neither seemed particularly mad at one another but both were clearly determined to win the argument.

"I still think you should at least consider it!" Sakon insisted. "Open your mind a little! Stop being so boring!"

The Postman gave the thief an unimpressed look as they entered the town's gate. "I'm not helping you steal from old people."

Sakon crossed his arms petulantly. "Well, when you put it like that, it makes me sound like a jerk! You can make anything seem bad."

The Postman rolled his eyes. "If you need money, why don't you get a job? Like a normal person?"

Sakon immediately wrinkled his nose in disgust and gave a shudder at the thought. "It's your fault that I owe so much to begin with!" Sakon retorted. "I have to pay my uncle back for that stupid mask I broke and I have to pay Precious double what he normally charges!"

"Fine, then the next time you need my help, I'll just say no."

Sakon gave him a grin. "Naw, you'd never do that," he said in a teasing tone. "You love me too much!"

The Postman looked thoughtful a moment. "Well, it would certainly be a lot quieter without you."

Sakon gave a snort. "Lend me some money?"

"No. I don't give risky loans to thieves."

"I'll pay you back."

"No, Sakon, you're just going to have to get a job."

"...are you hiring?" Sakon asked, only half-joking.

The Postman stopped walking; the thought of Sakon being a postman too horrifying to comprehend. All he could do was mutely shake his head as the thief gave him a smirk.

"Fine, then, I'll just take a little visit to the market to 'acquire' some funds. Probably easier than trying to get a loan out of you!"

The Postman was used to Sakon's slimy ways and simply let out a sigh as they approached the post office. Sakon gave him a wave of goodbye as The Postman pulled out his keys and the thief turned the horse to head towards the market.

"You really are missing a golden opportunity." he called back. "You see old people all the time on your job. It would be so easy for you to pinch their wallets!"

"No."

Sakon stopped the horse. "I don't know what you're worried about, they probably wouldn't even remember having a wallet in the first place!"

"No, Sakon." The Postman snapped, finding the right key. "And why are you coming with me today anyway? I'm not going to let you steal from my customers."

Sakon pretended to look offended at the accusation, placing a hand to his heart. "I was going to do no such thing!" he said with a grin, giving himself away. "I just thought that you could use a bit of company...that and your mother told me to tail you for a few days."

The Postman didn't believe Sakon's innocence for an instant but was distracted when he found the post office door unlocked. Disconcerted as he was sure Haru wouldn't have left it unlocked, he pushed open the door as Sakon began whistling, prepared to wait for him.

The Postman stepped inside and was met with the obese sight of Madame Aroma, the town's postmistress leaning against the counter, obviously waiting for him.

Madame Aroma didn't normally visit him, so The Postman found himself curious of what was going on. She was in charge of all the urban post offices across both Hyrule and Termina but she rarely travelled out of Clock Town. As he approached her, he tipped his hat politely, causing her to frown in disapproval.

"Postmistress." The Postman greeted with a hesitant smile.

Madame Aroma narrowed her eyes at him and began tapping her fingers on the counter in agitation. Although she was on business this day, she was still dressed as if she were about to have a night on the town. Her bright yellow dress was at least three sizes too small and it clung to her bloated body like a second skin. Her stringy red hair was pulled up into an extravagant style, sitting high upon her head and bright red lipstick adorned her lips. She looked him up and down and obviously wasn't pleased with what she saw.

"A very serious matter has occurred." she informed him curtly.

The Postman was instantly all business. "Is it a priority letter?" he asked, ready to take action.

"No." Madame Aroma snapped impatiently. "It is not. This is in regards to the mail that keeps going missing and a complaint that was made against you."

"Missing mail?" The Postman questioned, wondering if she needed his help investigating mailbox thefts. "When did this happen? And where? And what complaint?"

Madame Aroma pursed her lips, her small beady eyes narrowing further. "You know very well what I'm referring to."

The Postman cocked his head. "Ma'am?"

Madame Aroma began tapping her nails against the counter once more as she gave him an ugly, vicious look. The same look always made everyone around her terrified. When The Postman didn't react like she was expecting, she crossed her arms against her plump chest irritably.

"A total of 15 letters have disappeared in the last day. All 15 were dropped through the mail slot for this post office but none of them were delivered. Two of those letters were priority."

The Postman's eyes widened. "Missing from my post office?" he asked in disbelief. "There has to be some sort of mistake!"

"I don't think so."

"I sort every letter extremely carefully, ma'am! I've never lost one letter before, let alone 15!"

The Postman knew it was his brother Haru who had taken over the post office the day before but he was certain his brother would never do something like this. It was unthinkable!

Madame Aroma gave a derisive snort. "15 letters in one day is a bit suspicious, don't you think, Jerry?" she stated coldly.

"Actually, it's Ji-"

"Because the letters were given to the post office directly and then lost, I had to pay a large fine to the town and also compensate the affected parties."

The Postman didn't bother trying to correct her on his name again, too distracted by what she was telling him. He shook his head adamantly, sure there had to be some sort of mistake.

"No, ma'am!" he protested. "I know I wouldn't have lost the letters and I'm sure my brother wouldn't have either! I couldn't have, the customers must be mistaken!"

"You're telling me 15 different people were mistaken?" she demanded.

The Postman couldn't think of any other explanation so he nodded.

Madame Aroma gave him a look of pure contempt, her mouth almost disappearing under multiple rolls of fat. "I don't appreciate just throwing good money away." she growled. "I will not tolerate deceit and theft from my employees! Theft of the mail is a serious offense! You could be jailed for this!"

The Postman let out a horrified gasp at the thought. "I would never!" he cried out. "I didn't steal them, I would never touch someone else's mail!"

"Then you admit to destroying them so you didn't have to deliver them!" she accused, her fat jiggling wildly in her anger.

"No!" The Postman objected, completely appalled. "Never! I treat every letter with respect and care! I have never failed in a delivery before! I didn't even deliver the mail yesterday, it was my brother."

Madame Aroma gave a snort. "Don't even try lying to me. I know your type; you put on a good face for a few years then you think you can do whatever you want! I don't pay you to destroy mail and slack off! Imagine trying to blame someone else for your incompetence! This is unacceptable and you should be ashamed!"

Again The Postman shook his head. "No!" he insisted. "There has to be some mistake! I've done nothing of the sort!"

Madame Aroma gave him a disgusted look. "The only mistake was hiring you in the first place." she snapped. "You wouldn't believe how much time and money you lost me because of this! Not only are you a thief, but also a pervert! There were TWO complaints filed against you!"

"What?!"

"A young lady came to me and told me what you did to her during the birthday celebrations and you should be ashamed of yourself! Imagine one of my employees forcing themselves on a helpless girl while in uniform no less!"

"Wait, no! That was an accident! I'm not a pervert!"

"Save it, Justin! This is not going to happen again because I want you and whatever possessions you own out of this postoffice in the next five minutes. You're fired!"

The Postman gasped and went very, very still, sure he had misheard. "...pardon?"

Madame Aroma's enormous round face scrunched up as she gave him a scowl. "You're fired."

"But I didn't do it!" The Postman cried out in despair. "There's been a mistake! Please don't fire me!"

Madame Aroma stuck her nose into the air. "I've already replaced you." she informed him coldly. "My son will take over your route, isn't that right Kafei sweetheart?"

A man previously unseen, stepped out from behind the counter, looking extremely awkward to be listening in on the conversation. His red eyes were currently focused intently on his feet, not wanting to make eye contact with The Postman or his mother. He was wearing a postal uniform and The Postman felt his heart sink at the sight.

"Hello, Kafei." The Postman greeted politely.

"Hi, Jihiro." Kafei said quietly, still not looking up.

The Postman and Kafei had gone to school together and knew each other well. After Kafei had been cursed and forced to relive a second childhood, the young man had moved back in with his mother. Kafei's relationship with Anju had dissolved and The Postman hadn't seen much of him over the years. It seemed Kafei had grown a lot over the last few years and was now almost back to his rightful age before the curse.

"I've hired my son and I want you out of here immediately!" Madame Aroma ordered.

"Please!" The Postman begged, not caring about dignity at the moment. "I've had this job since I was 18; this is my whole life! You don't understand!"

Again, Madame Aroma let out a snort. "The only reason I hired you in the first place is because your father put in a good word for you. I see now, you were nothing but a mistake."

"I've been a postman for 13 years!" The Postman protested. "I've never once made a mistake, please don't fire me over this!"

"You are fired and if you don't leave the premises immediately, then I'll be forced to get one of the guards to escort you out!"

The Postman hung his head, feeling like the floor just fell out from under him. He really was getting fired. He was silent a long moment before finding his voice. "That won't be necessary, ma'am... I'll leave."

Madame Aroma gave him a curt nod. "And I want that uniform back as well. That's property of the post office."

The Postman hesitated. "Um, well, I've been a postman for 13 years and I don't even have any regular clothes here...the uniforms are all the clothes I have in the office..."

Madame Aroma gave a sniff of disapproval. "Not my problem." she informed him. "Give me back the uniform."

"Ma, you don't have to take the clothes off his back." Kafei protested. "Let him return the uniform later.'

Madame Aroma shook her head stubbornly. "The uniforms belong to me and I want my property back from this hooligan!"

"But Ma!"

"But nothing!"

Feeling both embarrassed and resigned The Postman handed her his hat then slowly began to undress. Madame Aroma watched with crossed arms and a moment later, he handed her the uniform. He felt his cheeks burning with humiliation and couldn't meet her gaze. Kafei felt genuinely bad for The Postman and crossed the post office to the bed. Pulling off the blanket, he approached The Postman and gently draped the blanket over his shoulders. The Postman gratefully wrapped the blanket around himself, but was still too ashamed to meet anyone's gaze.

"I'm sorry." Kafei told him, giving his shoulder a pat. "You'll find other work. For what it's worth, I believe you. Are there any belongings you would like to take?"

The Postman mutely shook his head. He'd never really kept many personal affects in the office and wasn't interested in anything that was there. That was except...

"There's a book on the nightstand." he said in a small voice.

Kafei, crossed the room, and picked up the book, looking at the title. 'A Postman's Manuel- How to be quick and efficient at everything you do' Kafei gave the book a sad frown and handed it to The Postman.

"What are you waiting for?" Madame Aroma demanded. "Get out of my post office and don't let me see you back here again!"

Taking a deep breath, The Postman turned without a word and left the post office, feeling like nothing was real. He had to be dreaming. That was the only explanation. He was still a postman, he still had his job and there were no missing letters. He'd obviously eaten something bad and this nightmare was the result. Wait. That's it! He was just having another of those horrible nightmares! The gods were simply playing another cruel joke on him! When he pinched himself on the arm, he was disheartened when it hurt. He really was fired.

The moment he left the post office, he saw Sakon waiting for him. "I decided to go lat-" Raising an eyebrow at the sight of the blanket, Sakon peered down the front of it then gave The Postman a questioning look.

"Um, darling, I think you forgot something..."

The Postman gave a heavy blink then focused his gaze on Sakon. "I've just been fired." he stated softly, still not believing it himself.

Both of Sakon's brows shot up. "What?" he demanded. "Fired? Are you kidding me? You?! Why?"

The Postman clutched the blanket even tighter. "There was some sort of mistake. I'm sure I didn't do it but Madame Aroma says I did..."

"That fat cow was the one to fire you?" Sakon demanded indignantly. "Can't you fight it? Go to town hall or something?"

The Postman shook his head. "Her husband is the mayor of Clock Town; she has a lot more influence than you think. She has free rein over most of the post offices. I've been fired and there's nothing I can do about it."

Sakon didn't seem happy over this and again stared at the blanket. "And what's with the blanket?"

"She took back all my uniforms and I don't have any regular clothes." The Postman explained miserably.

Sakon glared at the post office door. "That hag! She made you leave in your underpants? I have half a mind to go in there and rob her blind!"

"Sakon, don't." The Postman said with a sigh. "Just leave it be."

Sakon had his hands balled into fists and looked like he really was about to charge in there, so The Postman rested a hand on his arm. "It's fine." The Postman assured him. "I'll find another post office."

Sakon frowned at him. "You don't look fine." he stated. "You look like you're about to faint."

The Postman forced himself to take another deep breath and blinked hard. "I'm fine."

Sakon crossed his arms skeptically. "You sure? You don't look fine...I can still go in there and terrorize her if you want..."

The Postman simply let out a sigh, still in a daze and turned away. "You might as well go home, Sakon. I don't feel like doing anything today."

Sakon stared after him a moment as The Postman made his way towards the gate then quickly followed on the horse. "Where are you going?"

"To my parents."

Sakon gave a shrug. "Then I'm coming too. Can't have you walking half naked across the fields by yourself. Some thug could take advantage of you. I must protect your virtue after all!"

The Postman didn't even have the energy to respond to that, simply letting out another heartbroken sigh.

The Postman walked in silence across the fields, Sakon for once staying quiet, sensing how upset he was. He knew how much being a postman meant to his friend and doubted any of his jokes would make him feel any better.

When they reached The Postman's parent's house, several hours later, The Postman still hadn't said anything more. They entered the house, The Postman avoiding the thief's eyes.

The large living room was quiet and empty and The Postman was glad the rest of his family were somewhere else. Dropping the blanket to the floor, The Postman flopped face down on one of the couches, hoping it would swallow him alive. Sakon, who still stood in the doorway, glanced down at his comatose form then frowned.

"Uh, darling, are you alright?"

He received a non-committal grunt in reply.

"Okay, just checking..."

A loud piercing shriek came from outside and a moment later, Minoko shoved her way past Sakon giggling mischievously. Noticing who she had pushed, she paused and looked up at him curiously.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's the bald man again!"

Sakon slapped his hand to his cheeks in mock surprise. "Oh!" he exclaimed in perfect imitation of her. "It's the little monster child!"

Minoko gave him a giggle then turned her gaze to her brother. Cocking her head at his seemingly dead form, she glanced towards the kitchen.

"Mum!" Minoko bellowed out. "Jihiro's home and he's in his underwear and may or may not be dead!"

There was a pause and then The Postman's mother, Jinaudi, poked her head out of the kitchen in confusion. When she saw her son sprawled on the couch in his underwear, she simply let out an exasperated sigh.

"Jihiro, I know it's hot today, but go put some pants on!" she scolded. "Honestly."

The Postman continued laying comatose on the couch so she turned her attention to Sakon.

"Oh, hello, Sakon dear." she greeted in surprise. "How is everything going?"

Wordlessly, Sakon pointed to The Postman.

Jinaudi gave a nod. "Everyone's coming home today for the funeral tomorrow. Will you be staying for supper as well?"

Sakon was never one to pass up free food and gave an eager nod. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a home-cooked meal.

"I'll add a place for you at the table." she told him, turning her gaze back to The Postman. "Jihiro, pants NOW."

As his mother disappeared back into the kitchen, The Postman slowly sat up. Minoko gave him a cheeky grin then took off in the direction of her room. The Postman ran a hand through his hair and let out a heavy, depressed sigh. Sakon stared at him a moment then gave a snicker, unable to help himself.

"You probably should find some clothes."

Not saying anything, The Postman got to his feet and made his way towards the room he used to share with his brothers. Sakon followed at his heals, not wanting to be left by himself and observed The Postman's slightly glazed look. The Postman opened the closet door and took some of Jaru's clothing and dressed, still feeling completely downtrodden.

"Look, it's not that bad." Sakon assured him. "There's other boring, mindless jobs you can get. You don't have to be a postman! You could be a geologist or something. It seems right up your alley. Or maybe your parents can suggest something for you?"

The Postman immediately froze. "No! Don't tell my parents!" he hissed.

Sakon raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

The Postman covered his face in shame. "I can't tell them I've been fired, Sakon. I just can't!"

"Why?" Sakon asked again.

"They've always been so proud of me, I can't disappoint them." The Postman said miserably. "I can't tell them. Please don't mention it."

Sakon crossed his arms. "You do know they're going to find out eventually, right?"

"I know." The Postman groaned. "But with everything going on right now, I don't want to add anymore stress to them. I'll tell them later at a better time."

Sakon gave him a grin. "Can I do it?"

Pulling his hands away from his face, The Postman glowered at him. "No."

Shrugging it off, Sakon followed The Postman out of the room.

"Your dad's getting fat by the way." Sakon stated. "He's gotten soft in his old age I guess. I saw him leaving yesterday and he looked a bit like a pregnant woman. I can't believe I used to be scared of him as a child!"

"Better not say that to him." The Postman suggested, as they approached the back door. "Now that he's getting older, he's quite touchy on the subject."

Sakon fell in step beside him, limping. "Why not just ask to take over his route? Isn't he close to retirement anyway?"

The Postman paused as he considered that. "Maybe, but I'm going to ask my brothers and sisters first."

"You're the oldest, just bully them into it." Sakon suggested. "Make them give you the route you want."

Most of The Postman's siblings were bigger than him, including the girls, so he doubted that would go over well. His sister, just four years younger than him, had a mean right hook so he'd do his best to keep the conversation diplomatic.

He exited the back door and took a seat on the porch-swing, the heat almost overwhelming. Sakon plopped himself down next to him and then batted his eyelashes jokingly with a grin.

"How romantic." he crooned, placing an arm around The Postman's shoulders. "You know just how to treat a girl!"

The Postman shrugged the arm off impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Sakon."

Sakon rolled his eyes. "When are you ever?"

Ignoring that, The Postman flopped over in the swing, curling into a fetal ball simply staring out across the back yard. Several of the younger siblings were having a water fight which he watched with vague interest. Sakon quickly got bored and let out a dramatic moan.

"Is this what you're going to do all day?" he demanded.

"Yes." The Postman answered, not shifting from his position. His entire world had just shattered so he had the right to mope in his opinion.

Sakon hobbled to his feet and gave a stretch. "Fine then." he stated. "I'm going to join in the kid's water fight! At least they know how to have fun!"

The Postman didn't answer, too depressed to have an opinion on that. Sakon rolled his eyes then quickly gimped across the yard with a grin. The Postman watched him speak quite adamantly with the kids who gave him a nod and handed him one of the buckets of water. Sakon glanced over at him then proceeded to dump the water over two of his little brother's heads. The Postman lost interest and closed his eyes, still hoping everything had been a dream.

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Reviews Make the Author happy!


	7. Postman for Hire

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**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! Here is another semi-fast update! This chapter is quite long but a lot happens in it. :)**

**So, for anyone still reading this story, let me know if you find it boring or whether there's anything that you think might improve it. I've lost nearly all my readers and i'm not sure whether this was due to my absence or whether something is wrong with the story. Please let me know if something bugs you! :D**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Chaos Wielder**

**The Empty Lord**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Postman for Hire

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The Postman hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he was shaken awake several hours later. Opening his eyes, he saw his sister Toshiko standing over him impatiently. She frowned down at him then crossed her arms.

"Your creepy friend stole one of my bras." she stated. "Minoko saw him take a pair of Lin's panties too."

The Postman let out a groan and covered his eyes not wanting to deal with it.

"He's in the kitchen pestering mother so I suggest you get him under control before dad comes home."

When he didn't move, she nudged him hard. The Postman let out another groan and sat up.

"I don't know what you're complaining about." Toshiko said. "You've slept like a big blob most of the day while he's been terrorizing everyone. I don't even know why you're hanging around him, he's creepy."

The Postman had enjoyed sleeping as it gave him a break from reality and wished he hadn't woken up. There had been no nightmares, just much needed sleep. The darkness of sleep still pulled at him and he wished he didn't have to deal with Sakon. He wished the darkness would swallow him whole and never release him. If he never woke up, he could just keep on dreaming forever. Trying his best to push aside such feelings, he got to his feet and followed Toshiko into the house. As he approached the kitchen, he could hear arguing taking place.

"Would you stop picking at the food!" Jinaudi scolded in exasperation. "If you don't stop touching things, you're not getting fed."

The Postman pushed open the door and was met with the most bizarre sight he'd seen in quite a while. Sakon was standing beside his mother in a pink cooking apron, helping her peel potatoes. He was smirking at her mischievously and was munching on a piece of raw carrot. His mother seemed both amused and frustrated and was shaking her head as she peeled another carrot.

Sakon saw him and gave him a wave. "He lives!" he cried out.

The Postman rolled his eyes as his mother glanced over at him.

"Feeling any better, honey? Sakon told us you weren't feeling well."

The Postman honestly wasn't feeling any better and was sure he never would. How could he possibly feel better after his whole life had been ripped away? He knew his mother didn't know what was going on but he still felt it was an unfair question. Slowly, he forced himself to nod. His mother smiled at him then motioned to the food being prepared on the counter.

"You know the rules; if you're in the kitchen then you have to help. Find something to do."

The Postman would be the first one to admit he was a terrible cook, but didn't feel like arguing, so he washed his hands at the sink and grabbed a potato. He peeled in silence as Sakon began singing a cleaner version of a tavern song and pondered to himself. He had a lot of relatives and one of them might be coerced into giving him their route. He'd ask his immediate family first then look into contacting some of his more distant relatives. Someone had to be retiring or too sick to work! Was it in bad taste to ask them at a funeral?

The moment he asked someone to take over their route, there would be questions and The Postman wasn't ready to tell them he'd been fired yet. He was the oldest in the family and he was expected to make an example for the younger ones. Getting fired for theft/ destruction of the mail as well as sexual harassment wasn't his idea of a good role model. Letting out a sigh, he placed the cleaned potato on the counter then turned to leave the kitchen. He had to think of an excuse he could use.

Sakon glanced down at the one peeled potato The Postman had done, and then watched as he quickly retreated.

"Good job, darling, we never would've been able to finish without you!" he called after him.

Jinaudi simply shook her head. "Never fails." she said in amusement.

The Postman found all of his brothers and sisters in the living room playing some sort of trivia game and realized he could ask them all at once. Shoving his way onto the couch, his younger sister Kari grinned up at him, holding a question card.

"Your turn, Jihiro!" she announced, looking down at the card. "When did King Horacio III get brutally murdered during an uprising?"

"During the Koboblin revolt of 122."

"Correct."

Everyone around him groaned.

"Who let him play?" Haru demanded. "He always wins. It's not fair!"

"Never mind that." The Postman said. "I have something I need to ask all of you."

"You're finally admitting that you were adopted?" Haru asked with a snicker, earning him an elbow to ribs from Anju.

The Postman paused at that. Was he adopted? Dismissing the notion, he said. "No. I want to take over one of your routes." he stated, glancing around at his siblings who quickly averted their gazes.

No one answered so The Postman frowned. "Come on, one of you can give up your mail route!"

Several of his siblings shifted in their seats but none answered.

The Postman began feeling a bit desperate. "Jaru? Didn't you say you hated your new route?"

"So? Doesn't mean I'm going to quit."

"Toshiko?"

She simply let out a snort and crossed her arms.

"Oh, come on!" The Postman cried out, getting a bit frustrated. "You know I'd do it better than you anyway!"

Instantly he was met with glares from all of the older siblings.

"Keep talking like that and see what happens." Toshiko warned, cracking her knuckles.

"Do it!" Haru yelled out, pumping his fist. "Give him a black eye! We'll all claim he fell down the stairs!"

Although he was joking, it earned him another nudge from Anju. She'd always liked The Postman and had known him for years. Although he was incredibly serious and not easy to talk to, she found him amusing. It was also The Postman who had inadvertently caused her to meet Haru and she was grateful for that.

"Why do you want to switch routes?" she asked him kindly. "Is anything wrong?"

The Postman didn't want to tell them and gave a slow shake of the head. "I just need a change..."

He gave himself away however and Anju gave him a concerned look. "Has Madame Aroma been overworking you again? Did she take away your lunchbreaks and extend your hours again? I told her to stop doing that!"

The Postman clenched his fists on his lap. "No. I just need a change." he glanced around at his siblings. "I would really like to take over one of your routes."

When still no one answered him, he let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, be that way." he snapped, getting to his feet. "Don't think I'll forget when you need something from me!"

Without another word, he stomped out of the room. Haru immediately laughed.

"No, he'll forget by tomorrow." he said to Anju. "He doesn't hold grudges against family very well."

The Postman stomped his way outside, feeling frustrated and somewhat desperate. His siblings had just dismissed him without even a thought and he had a sinking feeling that's the way it would be for ALL of his relatives. His family took being postmen extremely seriously so he supposed such a reaction shouldn't have come as a surprise to him. Despite knowing how dedicated his family was, The Postman knew he NEEDED to take over one of their routes. Without his job, what was he?

As The Postman headed down the road, he thought about that. He'd been a postman for nearly half of his life and it meant everything to him. Without it, he was a nobody. He had no identity beyond it and now he felt strangely empty and sad. Trying desperately to push those feelings away, he sped up to a run.

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When The Postman finally returned to the house, the sun was going down and he had run himself far too hard. When stressed or upset, he tended to run and now he was tired and sore, his shirt drenched in sweat. As he opened the backdoor, he could smell supper and realized he was late. Heading to the dining room, he saw his entire family and Sakon were seated at the table just about to start and he relaxed, seeing he wasn't too late.

His mother looked up at him and gave him a frown. "There you are." she scolded. "I was beginning to think you had left."

"Sorry."

"Take your seat." she ordered impatiently. "You're holding everyone up."

The Postman obediently took a seat between Sakon and Minoko both of whom wrinkled their noses at the smell of him.

"Ewww, mama, he stinks!" Minoko complained, clapping her hands over her nose.

Sakon draped an arm over The Postman's shoulders with a cheeky grin. "He might stink, but we love him anyway."

The Postman impatiently pushed Sakon away. He instead turned his gaze to his father seated at the head of the table. His father, Makoto was frowning at Sakon as if unsure why the thief was there but he didn't comment.

The Postman's mother was setting full plates of food on the table and she too looked over at Sakon.

"Sakon dear, are you still vegetarian?"

Sakon beamed up at her. "Yup...well, when I can be that is."

"Sakon stole Toshiko's bra and a pair of Lin's panties." Minoko announced to the table with a grin.

Instantly all eyes were on Sakon who gave a nervous sort of giggle. Makoto narrowed his eyes at the thief, wondering why his son was hanging around a criminal in the first place. Sakon noticed the stare and shifted uncomfortably.

"Why did you take my daughters' underwear?" he demanded, his tone bordering on dangerous.

"I did no such thing!" Sakon defended. "I'm completely innocent! It's just been a misunderstanding!"

"That didn't work with me when you were a child and it's certainly not going to work now." Makoto snapped. "What did you do with them?"

Sakon gave an evasive shrug. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a pervert!" Makoto hissed. "Give them back to my daughters, right now! You're a guest in this house and I won't hesitate to throw you out!"

"Well," Sakon said. "That's not very hospitable, now is it? I think your daughters are liars and maybe you should consider that."

Makoto narrowed his eyes even further until they were mere slits and tapped his fingers on the table impatiently.

"You weren't spanked enough as a child." he said decidedly.

Sakon crossed his arms and scowled. "I disagree. I think I was spanked TOO much as a child. Maybe I was traumatized? My sweet innocence and optimism stolen from me at such a young age!"

Makoto let out a skeptical snort. "I don't think you were innocent even the day you were born. Somebody should straighten you out one of these days!"

Sakon picked at his nails a moment then gave a shrug. "Whatever. I think it's a bit late for that now, don't you think? I'm 31, what are you going to do? Take me over you knee?"

Sakon laughed and gave Makoto an infuriating smirk which made the other man visibly bristle.

"No, but I just may tip off the local guards to your whereabouts." Makoto snapped.

As Sakon's eyes widened, The Postman interrupted before tempers got out of control.

"Dad?"

Makoto gave one last warning look to Sakon then turned his gaze to his eldest child. "Yes, son?"

"Um, there was something I wanted to ask you..."

Makoto raised an eyebrow, curious. "Yes, what is it?"

The Postman idly played with the fork in his hand as he considered how to word his request. "So, I know you're getting older and I wanted to ask you something important..."

"Yes?" Makoto demanded, impatiently.

"Since you've been getting older, I've been concerned that the work you do at your office may be getting to be too much for you." The Postman began. "The mail can be quite heavy and being a postman is very hard work!"

Makoto frowned at him but allowed him to continue.

"I was thinking that I should take over your route and you could take a more relaxing position."

Makoto gave him a look of disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" he demanded.

Everyone around the table stared at The Postman in shock, unable to believe he had the gall to say such a thing.

"No, I'm serious." The Postman said. "In your old age, you shouldn't be doing such strenuous work. I want to take over your route."

"Not going to happen, boy." Makoto stated.

"Consider it!" The Postman insisted. "You should be in retirement! Let me take it over for you before you hurt yourself."

Makoto levelled The Postman with a glare. "I'm only 55, Jihiro, I'm not an old decrepit man. My grandfather worked until he was 93 and he was as fit as a whistle. I am not going to retire."

"But-"

"NO, Jihiro." Makoto said firmly. "I'm not going to discuss this any further."

"But-"

"Enough of this talk." Jinaudi, The Postman's mother, interrupted. "Everyone eat your supper before it gets cold."

Frowning at the way he'd been dismissed, The Postman stared down at his supper. He didn't really have much of an appetite but he picked at it a bit as he thought. Perhaps his father was simply embarrassed and didn't want to discuss retirement in front of the whole family. The Postman felt he had made some good points and was sure if he spoke to his father alone, he could get him to reconsider.

He saw something green fly in front of his face and blinked, glancing beside him at Minoko. She was reloading another pea onto her fork and gave him a toothy grin when she saw him looking. She shot it at Sakon who leaned out of the way and quickly retaliated with one of his own. It struck her on the forehead and The Postman let out a sigh. Minoko rubbed at her head a moment then narrowed her eyes, picking up a piece of broccoli. She glanced over at her parents to make sure they weren't watching then flung it at Sakon hard, splattering it across his shirt. Sakon too narrowed his eyes, accepting the challenge. As he threw a handful of potatoes at her, The Postman elbowed him in the ribs.

"Stop picking on my little sister." he hissed.

Sakon crossed his arms petulantly. "She started it." he grumbled.

"You're three times her age. Grow up."

Sakon rolled his eyes. "You're such a stick-in-the-mud."

The Postman didn't bother responding to that. Sakon could be incredibly immature at times, acting more like a big kid than the adult he was. Sometimes The Postman forgot Sakon was a villain as the thief rarely showed his more cut-throat side, but The Postman had to remind himself that Sakon had in fact killed before and would again. The Postman wondered which persona was an act or whether both were genuine. Sakon gave him a dopey grin and The Postman found himself relaxing.

"What's on your mind?" Sakon questioned him. "I think you've thoroughly beat your supper enough for now."

The Postman glanced down at his plate and saw he was in fact mashing at his supper absentmindedly with his fork.

"Nothing." The Postman responded. "Just thinking."

Sakon stared at his troubled expression and gave him a questioning look but didn't press the issue. Something nudged Sakon's leg and he looked down, instantly smiling brightly.

"Hey! I didn't know you had a dog!" he exclaimed, petting the dog's head as it looked up at him imploringly, eyes on the food.

The dog was enormous, shaggy and incredibly old and Sakon immediately loved it. He grabbed a piece of meat off The Postman's plate and offered it to him, the dog accepting it gratefully. Makoto gave the dog a disapproving look.

"Don't feed the dog from the table."

"Why not?" Sakon demanded. "He's a member of the family too, isn't he?"

"It teaches him to steal off the table." Makoto said impatiently. "And it's bad manners."

Sakon let out a heavy sigh and gave the dog a scratch behind the ears. "Fine. Everyone has so much prejudice against thieves these days..."

The Postman sat for much of the meal in a daze, mostly thinking about earlier that day, wondering how and when he should tell his family the bad news. He knew they'd be horribly disappointed in him and he wanted to delay it for as long as possible. Letting out a sigh, The Postman closed his eyes as the conversations around him buzzed unintelligibly.

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The Postman stared up at the ceiling as Sakon lay snoring next to him. He hadn't found the right opportunity to mention that he got fired or to discuss his father's retirement. Now the whole house was asleep and he was getting more and more anxious. He felt like running again but knew that wasn't an option at this point, not this late at night. In only a couple hours it would be five and he'd normally be getting up to begin his route but he'd never have to get up again. He had no purpose in life anymore.

Glancing over at Sakon, he saw the thief sprawled out on the other side of bed, one hand on top of the family dog which he insisted sleep with them, and the other hugging the pillow close. Sakon had fallen asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow and The Postman was still fascinated by the fact he seemed content no matter where he was. The Postman on the other hand had always had trouble adjusting to new environments and situations; he wasn't fond of change at all.

Looking back towards the ceiling, he wondered what was going to become of him. There was no way he was going to move back in with his parents, that would be far too humiliating. He'd lived on his own since he was 18 and he'd be damned before he sunk that low. He knew he'd have to talk his father into giving up his route fast however, because his savings wouldn't last him forever. He'd eventually run out of funds.

Doing some mental calculations, he figured he could live three or four months before his funds ran out. He imagined if worse came to worst Sakon would let him stay with him if he asked. The Postman felt desperate and clenched his fists, not wanting to have to depend on anyone for anything. He had to get another postal job. He just had to.

After a while of laying there, he heard his father get up and listened as he got himself ready for the day. Ever since The Postman could remember, his father had gotten up well before dawn to do the office work then would leave on his route at six. Although no mail would be delivered that day, it appeared his father was still going in to do a bit of office work. Realizing this would be the perfect opportunity to speak to his father alone, The Postman got up and hurriedly got dressed. Giving one last look to the still snoring Sakon, he left the room to go after his father.

Finding him already gone, he wasn't discouraged and left the house to follow him to his post office. The sky was completely black and ominous looking and already the occasional raindrop fell. As he walked along the familiar road to his father's post office, he considered what he'd say to him. Nothing really came to mind as he knew there would have been nothing that could have persuaded HIM to quit after all. He'd loved being a postman. Letting out a sigh as the post office came into view, he hoped his father would just take pity on him and give in to him.

Pushing open the door, The Postman stepped inside as his father looked up from his desk in surprise.

"Jihiro!" he said. "What are you doing here?"

The Postman scratched at the back of his head a moment, not sure what to say. "I just wanted to talk to you."

Makoto raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oh?" he questioned. "What about?"

"Um...nothing in particular."

"Uh huh." Makoto responded skeptically. "You got up at four in the morning, walked a mile to my post office to talk about nothing in particular?"

The Postman hesitated. His father had already said no once so how was the best way to word this? "Well, maybe there was something I wanted to talk to you about..."

"If this is about retirement, the answer is still no." Makoto answered distractedly, sorting through a pile of letters.

The Postman took a few steps closer. "Why not?" he demanded. "You're old, I'm young!"

Makoto glanced over at him irritably. "You're not helping your case." he stated. 'Now what did I do with that darn letter opener?"

"I don't see why you're so determined to keep working when you're obviously so far past your prime! You owe it to the people to retire and find a suitable replacement!" The Postman insisted. "I'm younger and faster than you! You know I could do it better than you!"

His father slowly set down the letters on the desk and turned to face him. He narrowed his eyes at him and despite himself, The Postman took a step back.

"I could still run circles around you, boy." his father snapped. "I am not retiring now nor anytime in the near future."

The Postman wasn't ready to give up that easily. "Think reasonably, dad! The mail should always come first, not your pride! You know you've been slowing down over the years and should listen to the facts!"

Makoto gave him a dismissive snort and turned back to he mail, still digging around on the desk looking for a letter opener. "It has nothing to do with my pride but everything to do with a little upstart postman trying to muscle in on a better route." he replied. "You're NOT getting my route."

The Postman felt himself getting frustrated at the fact his father wasn't even willing to consider it. "I'm just worried about you!" he insisted. "Why don't you just try taking it easy for a little while and see what you think?"

Unable to find a letter opener, Makoto stood to his feet and reached for the above shelf, taking down his gold trophy letter opener. As he slit open the office mail, he gave his son an unimpressed look.

"I said no, Jihiro and I'm not willing to discuss it any further. I'm not retiring and I'm not switching jobs. This is the end of the discussion."

"Then how about you let me help you around the office?" The Postman suggested, feeling a bit desperate. "I can help out delivering the mail and you can do the office work?"

"No."

"Then what if I do the office work and you deliver the mail?"

"No, Jihiro! What part of no aren't you understanding? You are seriously starting to annoy me right now!"

The Postman took another few steps closer so he was hovering right over his father's shoulder. "You're just being stubborn!" The Postman cried out. "There's no reason I can't help you around the office! There's plenty of work to be done!"

"Considering how irritating you're being at the moment, I'm not inclined to do anything for you at the moment." his father informed him, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"That's not a reason!" The Postman protested. "Just think about it! I want to work here!"

"I said NO! No, Jihiro, no! Do you know what that means? NO!"

"Why?" The Postman demanded, leaning into his field of vision feeling completely desperate. "Why not?"

Makoto let out an aggravated sigh and held up the gold letter opener. "Jihiro, you're my son and I do love you but so help me if you don't stop nagging, I'm going to shove this where it'll never be found!"

The Postman immediately backed up a step.

"But-"

His father held up the letter opener again and The Postman took another step back.

"You're going to be late for breakfast, Jihiro." his father stated, setting the letter opener back up on the shelf in its case. "You'd better hurry up."

The Postman instantly felt depressed. "I won't be late."

"You still have a long way to walk, you'd better be on your way." he told him. "I'll see you in a couple hours before the funeral. Now get going."

"I still think you should reconsider..."

"GOODBYE, Jihiro."

His father crossed the office to get his mail together for the day and The Postman's eyes fell on the gold letter opener. His father had gotten it after 25 years of service and it was his most prized possession. He proudly showed to everyone who cared to look at it and was determined to gain whatever prize he'd get after 50 years of service. Just to spite, The Postman reached up and grabbed it down off the shelf and pocketed it. Seeing that his father wasn't even looking, he then left the post office without a word.

Once outside, The Postman sagged against the door, realizing how hopeless his situation was. He was never going to be a postman again. No matter what he did, he would never deliver another letter. With that realization, he slowly raised his hands to his face and took a deep breath, feeling panicked and desperate. He had never felt so alone and helpless before and squeezed his eyes closed. What would he do now? Where would he go? He was a complete failure and would be nothing but a burden to his family. A deep, overwhelming grief settled in The Postman's stomach and he took a slow shaky breath, unable to think clearly or rationally.

"Fine!" he yelled up to the sky. "You win! Fine! Just fix this!"

Silence was his answer. The Postman's shoulder's sagged in disappointment and he turned away with a heavy sigh. He'd only walked a few feet before a small voice yelled out to him.

"Hey, Mister!"

The Postman paused and glanced over at the small figure quickly approaching. A child no more than seven or eight ran up to him and held out an envelope. On reflex he accepted it, and turned it over, staring down at the rose seal on the back. He looked back up to inquire on it but the child was gone. It looked like the goddess had given him her answer. He stared down at the letter with shaking hands, then carefully pocketed it, not quite ready for the contents yet.

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The Postman had come to the conclusion that life was not fair, that it was simply a rule of existence. He generally didn't care either way what fate threw his way but this time it seemed particularly horrid. It seemed things like this always happened to him, although he wasn't entirely sure what he'd done to deserve it.

The Postman adjusted the black umbrella slightly, not really comprehending the priest's words. He found he could not concentrate, everything seemed fake and blended together, like a damp charcoal drawing. Everyone stood, dressed in black and greys, facing the priest solemnly as was expected and the rain made the air hum around them.

Late the night before, a third cousin had been killed and now, at the funeral, three coffins lay before him, rain wilting the flowers that lay on each lid. His cousins had been very nice people and The Postman was saddened by their deaths but not terribly surprised. It seemed that lately bad fortune followed him wherever he went and he was beginning to become resigned to it.

The Postman glanced down at his boots and observed the rain puddling there indifferently. Something different had happened this time however, when his cousin Shou had died. He had been stabbed during the night but hadn't died straight-away. His aunt and uncle had done everything they could but he bled out before the doctor could arrive. Shou had told them a horrible cloaked man had attacked him, the man spewing a bunch of religious phrases, claiming he was cleansing the world from evil. Shou had said that the man's eyes were a strange red that almost seemed to glow and his skin was grey and like leather. It was the same man from The Postman's dreams.

As the funeral came to an end and the caskets were lowered into their graves, The Postman lowered his umbrella and stared up into the grey sky. The rain instantly soaked him, but he didn't care, simply staring, his ears deaf to the weeping of his family. The cloaked man was looking for him and if something wasn't done, every one of his cousins the same age as him would be targeted. There would never be an end to the death.

The Postman slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled envelope the goddess had sent him. As he turned and walked away through the graveyard, Sakon limped after him, concerned. The Postman stopped at the edge of the graveyard beneath a tree and slowly began to rip the envelope open. Sakon peered over his shoulder curiously but The Postman ignored him.

"What's that?" he questioned.

"A letter."

Sakon gave him a 'well duh' look and leaned in closer. "Who's it from?"

The Postman didn't answer, his eyes scanning the contents of the letter.

'Jihiro,

Time is short. I cannot tell you everything you need to know in a physical letter, but you must have faith. Ichiro is the most important man to the world right now and you will find out all you need to know if you follow my instructions. You must leave immediately and head to Death Mountain or else many more around you will begin dying. He will never give up until he finds you but he will leave your family alone once you depart on your quest.

Travel through the ancient tunnels in Death mountain and find the hidden room filled with scrolls and magical items. This room once belonged to a very powerful man and there is information there you need to acquire. The book you need is red, leather bound and has a crest of an owl on the front. Someone will be there to give you further instruction.

-the goddesses are with you

The Postman folded over the letter with a frown.

"Hey!" Sakon protested. "I wasn't done reading that yet!"

Wordlessly, The Postman handed him the letter. Staring back up at the sky thoughtfully, he wondered whether he should even trust the goddess. He still wasn't certain who she was, but it was clear she was never going to give up. He knew where the room was the letter spoke of, he and Sakon had passed through it several months prior while on a mission for Ganondorf. What could be so important that it had to be hidden and guarded by a monster in the tunnels? It clearly had to be something dangerous.

Sakon frowned down at the letter. "Jihiro...what the hell is this?"

"The goddesses want me to go on a quest." The Postman answered simply.

"I can see that, but why?" Sakon demanded. "And what does this mean 'He will never give up until he finds you but he will leave your family alone once you depart on your quest.' Who is 'He' and why does it make this letter seem like this guy is out to kill you!"

The Postman said nothing.

Sakon's eyes widened. "Someone's trying to kill you?! Why?!"

"I don't know." The Postman answered truthfully.

"...did you forget to close someone's gate again?"

"No, it's something a lot worse than that. Remember when I told you about my nightmares?"

"Yeah?"

"The man from my nightmares has been killing my family."

Sakon went silent a long moment. "And you have to stop him." he stated.

The Postman nodded.

"Any idea who this jackass is?"

"No, I've never seen his face since he wears a black cloak. It's the same man I told you about earlier."

"Hmm, well, I'm going with you. You'll get yourself killed without me."

"You have a broken leg." The Postman pointed out.

"I've dealt with worse." Sakon replied, dismissively. "A broken leg's nothing! Ganondorf has broken every bone in my body at some point or another!"

The Postman gave a slow nod of the head, not wanting Sakon to get hurt but also not wanting to go on the quest by himself.

The Postman watched the mourners gathered around the grave sight for the final moments of the burial. Rain was streaming down his face, somewhat obscuring his view but he supposed this was a good thing as he had had enough of death. There was a terrible rumble of thunder from above, and as The Postman stared across the graveyard, a blinding flash of lightening struck. Both he and Sakon jumped in surprise at the deafening crackle and when the light faded, two crumpled forms lay face down in the mud. It was his twin cousins, Ren and Riku. The Postman stared with wide eyes at the display then turned and quickly left the graveyard, wanting to put as much distance as possible from his family. The sky continued to rumble but The Postman forced himself not to look back. He wasn't safe for them to be around and knew he had to put a stop to the man responsible.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy! :D**

****** So now, finally after 7 chapters, The Postman is finally ready to leave on his adventure! lol**


	8. The Tunnel Under the Mountain

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! Here is another semi-fast update! This chapter isn't as long as the previous one but I hope you guys find it fun. lol :)**

**I read about the Boston Bombing and my heart goes out to all my American friends! I'm so sorry such a horrible thing happened and I hope they catch the people responsible! The United States has my complete support and I'm praying for those affected by this tragedy!**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Chaos Wielder**

**TheEmptyLord**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

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**Blood of The Postman**

The Tunnel Under the Mountain

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The rain only seemed to come down harder as Sakon and The Postman travelled towards Death Mountain. Both were completely soaked and Sakon had been complaining about it for a good hour and a half. For the most part, The Postman ignored him, but it was rather difficult to do so when Sakon was flopped over on the horse's back, proclaiming death. As Sakon let out another over-dramatic moan, The Postman sighed and turned his gaze up to the sky. The rain was pouring down from the sky, looking like thousands of tiny needles aimed straight at them, and the storm showed no signs of slowing.

'_**The rain. Oh, how I loathe the rain**_'

The Postman glanced over at Sakon. "What?" he questioned.

Sakon crinkled his nose at him. "I said 'Ahhhhughh.'." he responded.

"No, what did you say just now?"

"I didn't say anything, darling. I think you have rain in your ears."

The Postman frowned.

'_**Rain devours the entire sky until everything it touches is consumed**_. _**One becomes small and insignificant compared to the sheer power of a storm**_.'

The Postman looked back at Sakon, but the thief was busy trying to get his umbrella to cover as much of himself as possible. He clearly hadn't heard anything. The Postman looked one way, then the other, but they were completely alone. Remembering when the Windfish had played him its ballad within his mind, The Postman wondered who he was hearing. Was it another god or was it the man trying to kill him?

'_**Rain will wash anything away if given enough time. Stones turn to sand, buildings crumble and the world is washed anew. Eventually, all that will remain will be the rain**_.'

The Postman frowned even further. The voice he could hear was his own and it gave no indication who he was really speaking to.

"Who are you?" he asked out loud.

Sakon gave him an odd look. "Um, darling, did you hit your head or something? I'm-"

"SHH!" The Postman hissed at Sakon. "I'm not talking to you."

"_**I never would have thought myself to be a poet."**_ the voice stated thoughtfully. "_**Time **__**does**__** change one's perspective however...**_"

"Who are you?" The Postman repeated.

There was an amused sort of chuckle. "_**I am Ichiro**_."

"Ichiro?! You're Ichiro?! Where are you? How are you speaking to me?"

"_**I have many talents**__._" Ichiro responded casually. "_**Several of which have been held back for many years by my enemies. I**_ _**grow stronger now, as you fulfill the goddess's orders**_."

"Um, darling? ...who are you talking to?"

"Shh." The Postman scolded. "Where are you?"

"_**Hmm, now that**__** is**__** a good question, isn't it? I'm where I cannot escape on my own. The perfect prison where I can neither leave nor where my enemies can reach me."**_

"Where?"

"_**You'll find out as your quest continues**_."

"...You like talking in riddles."

The Postman could sense Ichiro's smile. "_**I do." **_he agreed_**. "I had to do **__**something**__** while locked away, didn't I?**_"

"But how are you doing this?" The Postman asked. "How are you in my mind?"

"_**I'm the chosen one of the goddesses**_." Ichiro answered. "_**I can speak to you and to my goddess from anywhere. She affords me with many gifts**_."

"If you won't tell me where you are, then what do you want?"

"_**I may not be able to tell you certain things directly, but I can still help you along the way. Listen to the owl whenever he comes to you; he is a messenger of the goddesses**_. _**Not only should you look into your own past, but into Sakon's as well. The thief's past will reveal a lot to you.**_"

"Sakon?" The Postman questioned, skeptically.

"What?" Sakon demanded.

"SHH!" The Postman hissed again.

Sakon let out a heavy sigh. "How is that fair? You're the one who talked to me, dumbass!"

The Postman ignored him as Ichiro continued. "_**I will speak with you again at a later time.**_ _**For now, find the hidden study in the mountain**_."

Without any warning, The Postman felt the presence in his mind recede. He hadn't even realized it was there until it was gone, leaving him feeling somewhat confused.

"Ichiro?"

There was no answer. The Postman furrowed his brow and looked up at Sakon who was giving him a completely bewildered look.

"Um...you have a good conversation with yourself?" he asked.

"It was Ichiro." The Postman responded. "He was speaking with me telepathically."

Sakon didn't look convinced. "Why?"

"He said he can help us on the quest. He must be in some sort of danger because he stated he's been imprisoned for a long time."

"Sounds like a trap to me."

"He said I should look into your past if I want answers. Any idea what he means by that?"

This caught Sakon's interest. "Me? What do I have to do with any of this?! I didn't do anything!"

"Well, maybe it wasn't you directly? Maybe it was your family?" The Postman suggested. "What have your uncles been up to lately?"

"No idea, and they have nothing to do with me." Sakon responded. "I stay out of their business and they stay out of mine."

"Ok, then what about your mother and father? What happened to them?"

Sakon wiped some water out of his eyes and gave a shrug. "No idea, never met them. I was raised by my uncles, remember?'

"Then you're just as much in the dark as me."

Sakon gave him a smirk. "Naw, everywhere I go, I'm illuminated by awesome. What you see is what you get with me."

"How do you know one of your uncles isn't actually your father?" The Postman asked. "Did they ever explicitly say that they're not?"

Sakon's eyes widened in horror at the thought that The Happy Mask Salesman might be his father. He immediately shook his head, refusing to consider it. "No way." he denied. "Impossible. I'd know if I was 'his' spawn! I'd probably be all creepy with red eyes if I was!"

"Red eyes aren't as uncommon as you think, Sakon." The Postman pointed out. "A Lot of people have red eyes!"

"Yeah, but his aren't regular orangey-red eyes, they're weird! Have you ever looked at them? They're so red, they almost look like they glow!"

The Postman paused at that, remembering what his cousin Shou had said about his attacker. The attacker had red eyes that seemed to glow... The Postman shook his head. No, it was just a coincidence, it had to be! The Happy Mask Salesman knew who he was and where to find him so he couldn't have been the attacker! Still...it seemed to be a bit too much of a coincidence to be taken lightly.

"Sakon? What colour are Guru-Guru's eyes?"

"Red." the thief responded with a shrug. "Why?"

"Have you ever seen anyone with the same shade of red eyes as either of your uncles?"

Sakon thought about it a moment then shook his head. "No, now that you mention it, I haven't. Why?"

The Postman paused a moment. "I think your father might be trying to kill me..."

Sakon didn't know what to say to this and hesitated.

"Both of your uncles have strange red eyes the same colour as the man trying to kill me." The Postman explained. "Ichiro said it's your past we should look into so I think it might be your father."

"...I always assumed my parents were dead." Sakon stated, uncertainly. "Neither of my uncles actually said so...but I just always thought that's what must have happened..."

"You never asked about your parents?"

Sakon crinkled his brow, frowning. "When I was very young I used to ask all the time but they would never tell me. I got to the point where I just didn't care anymore and stopped asking."

"When we get back from the mountain, I think we should pay your uncles a visit."

Sakon nodded, his mind now whirling with the possibility that his parents were still alive. Would his uncles really keep such a thing from him? Was his father a big-time villain?

Sakon said nothing more as they continued up the mountain and when they were at the entrance to the Goron City, he slid down off the horse without a word.

"Is there still a death warrant out for you by the Gorons?" The Postman asked.

"Yeah."

The Postman thought a moment and then pulled the blanket from the horse's back. He threw it over Sakon's head like a shawl then said.

"All human's look the same to Gorons, so if you keep your head covered they probably won't recognize you."

Sakon wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, covering his face then gave a gagging cough. "Ugh, this smells like wet horse!"

"How is that any different from your usual smell?" The Postman demanded.

"Ha ha." Sakon responded sarcastically, sticking out his tongue at him.

Using his crutches, Sakon followed The Postman into the Goron city, hoping he was right about the Gorons not recognizing him. There seemed to be some sort of celebration taking place as every Goron was present in the city. Deafening drums echoed all throughout the mountain and the Gorons were clapping along with them, drinking and just generally having a good time. As they went deeper into the city, they saw the source of the excitement surrounded by Gorons. Link was seated in a chair of honour, smiling at his Goron friends as they celebrated another one of his recent victories.

Link looked up, made eye contact with The Postman, and then frowned. Getting up from his seat, he made his way over to them, staring at the both of them suspiciously.

"What are you two up to now?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Sakon pulled the blanket even tighter around his face. "Eh? Don't know what you're talking about, sonny!" he declared in a scratchy old lady voice. "Just travelling is all!"

The Postman let out a sigh.

Link began tapping one of his feet, giving Sakon a look which clearly said to cut the crap.

"Oh, my poor arthritis!" Sakon declared, clutching his back in perfect imitation of a crotchety old person. "It's the weather, you know? All this dog-gone rain!"

Link turned his gaze to The Postman. "What are you up to?"

"We're travelling into the tunnels beneath the mountain." The Postman answered truthfully.

"Why?" Link questioned.

"You don't have to tell him anything, young feller!" Sakon cried out to The Postman. "These young busybodies don't know how to keep their noses out of honest citizen's business!"

Ignoring him, The Postman answered the question. "We're looking for a book that deals with my family history. I was told it was somewhere within the mountain."

Link gave a nod. "Keep him under control while you're there. I don't want any complaints about theft from the Gorons."

"How insulting!" Sakon cried. "Accusing a little old lady of monstrous deeds! You should be ashamed!"

Link rolled his eyes and then turned away. "Take this as a warning." he stated. "Behave yourself."

Sakon snorted.

"Sakon, you're really embarrassing." The Postman said, once Link was out of earshot.

"You're just jealous of my acting skills."

"Come on, grandma." The Postman said sarcastically, heading towards the Goron shop. "We need to keep moving."

Sakon gimped after him with a frown. "Do you think he bought it?"

"Not a chance."

"Oh. Well, at least he didn't tell the Gorons who I was."

None of the Gorons paid them the least bit of mind as they passed through the city, too busy with their celebrations. They reached the shop without issue and it was completely deserted, a 'be back later' sign left on the counter. Sakon's gaze fell on the unguarded merchandise and gave a grin, already edging for it eagerly. The Postman quickly stepped in front of him.

"No, Sakon. No stealing."

Sakon crossed his arms petulantly. "Why don't you just ask me to stop breathing while you're at it!" he shot back.

"Link is just upstairs, Sakon. Do you really want him to come after you and break your other leg?"

Sakon let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine. I won't steal from the stupid Gorons."

The Postman pulled aside the tapestry located behind the counter and gazed down into the dark tunnel leading into the mountain. There was a loud roar from somewhere far down the tunnel and Sakon immediately backed up a step.

"You want us to go in there? IN THE DARK?!" he cried. "With that vicious monster thing?!"

The Postman nodded. "We'll be fine, I know my way through the tunnels."

"I don't want to bumble around in the dark, let's 'borrow' a torch from the shopkeeper."

"No, Sakon, we're not stealing anything. We'll be fine."

"Of course. Let's go inside a dark creepy tunnel where there are monsters that'll try to eat us. Makes perfect sense."

"You don't have to come with me." The Postman pointed out, stepping into the tunnel. "You can just go home."

Sakon watched The Postman walk off down the tunnel and then, with a few colourful curses, limped after him. Sakon remembered the maze of tunnels ahead of them and grabbed onto The Postman's arm, not wanting to get lost.

"I'm not going to let you leave on this stupid quest on your own." Sakon stated. "I only have one friend, so it's in my own best interest to keep you alive."

"So glad to know you're doing this selflessly." The Postman responded dryly.

They walked in silence through the tunnels for several minutes, The Postman going slow enough so that Sakon could keep up. Neither could see a thing and the only sound was their own echoing footsteps and Sakon's breathing.

"Stop breathing through your mouth." The Postman whispered after a while. "The monster will be able to hear you."

"I can't, I'm all stuffed up from the rain and I think I'm allergic to this blanket."

"Then get rid of it." The Postman whispered.

"Won't I need it again?" Sakon questioned.

"Not likely." came a deep growling voice from behind them.

Sakon let out a shriek of surprise and then there was a loud crash as he stumbled and fell, his crutches flying in different directions. They still couldn't see a thing, so The Postman went very, very still.

"You're trespassing." the monster snarled. "Trespassers will be eaten."

"Not again!" Sakon cried out, from wherever he was on the floor. "Why does everything always try to eat me?!"

"Monster?" The Postman questioned, wondering if it would remember him. "You're the monster from Termina's temple?"

There was a hesitation and then a great burst of fire appeared from the monster's mouth, lighting the previously unseen torches along the wall. The monster ignored Sakon and stared down at The Postman, both heads only inches away.

"Little virgin?" he questioned, his red eyes looking him up and down curiously. "Is that you?"

"Yes, sir."

The monster gave him a sniff and then nodded one of its heads. It pulled back a bit and glanced down at Sakon who was sprawled across the floor beside the monster's spindly legs. The monster had instantly lost its aggressive attitude and cocked his heads thoughtfully.

"What brings you all the way here, little virgin?"

"Please don't call me that." The Postman grumbled.

Although still afraid he was going to be eaten, Sakon couldn't resist giggling at The Postman's expense. "Don't blame the man -er monster just for telling the truth, darling."

The Postman flashed him an irritated look but didn't comment. "There's a book I need located in the room at the end of the tunnels."

"That area is supposed to be off-limits.' the monster stated slowly. "My mate has instructed me to protect these tunnels with my life and kill anyone who enters them..."

The Postman met the monster's gaze directly. "Are you going to kill us?" he asked.

"Well, it looks like you were certainly expecting a fight." the monster said, indicating the sword hanging from The Postman's belt.

"Where did that come from?!" Sakon cried out in surprise. "Did you have a sword at the funeral?!"

The Postman glanced down at the very familiar sword and let out a sigh.

"If you were any other human, I would kill you," the monster informed him. "But you helped me find my mate when I thought I'd be alone forever and for that I'm grateful. If it's just a book you seek, then I'll allow it.'

The Postman gave a nod. "Thank you."

"I'll have to accompany you however, to ensure you don't disturb anything else."

The Postman gave another nod and reached up to take down one of the lit torches. As he turned towards the correct tunnel, Sakon struggled to get to his feet.

"So, I can't take anything?" he whined.

The monster looked down at him. "I have something else in mind for you, little pervert."

"Oh? And what might that—aieeeee!"

The monster snapped Sakon up into one of its mouths before the thief even had time to move a single step. The Postman let out a gasp and rushed over.

"No! No, monster! Don't eat him! Please don't eat him!"

"I'm not." the monster's other head replied. "I need him in good condition so I'm fixing him."

"Fixing him?" The Postman questioned.

The monster didn't reply as it spat Sakon back out onto the floor. The thief was covered in saliva and green slime but otherwise seemed perfectly fine.

Sakon looked down at himself, and then made an expression of revulsion. "Ewww!" he complained. "What's wrong with you?! Why do you monsters do that every time you see me?!"

"Your leg is now healed." the monster replied.

Sakon paused in his attempts to pull off the slime. "Eh?"

"You are healed." the monster repeated.

Sakon glanced down at his leg, and then slowly moved it. He instantly gave an earsplitting grin and jumped to his feet.

"Hey! Would you look at that!" he cried. "I'm not a cripple anymore!"

He bounced all around the monster, pleased at the lack of pain but was quickly grabbed up by a tentacle.

"Hey!" Sakon yelled angrily. "What gives?!"

"I didn't heal you to be kind, I need you for something." the monster replied, slithering away through one of the tunnels.

The Postman quickly followed in concern. They went through a maze of tunnels The Postman had never been to before until the stone walls of the tunnels turned into the jagged rocks of a natural tunnel.

"This is the oldest set of tunnels in the mountain." the monster said. "This is where my mate and I have nested."

"Ew." was Sakon's only comment.

A few minutes later, they came to the actual nest itself which was made of dried roots and bones woven together into an enormous pile. In the direct centre of the nest was a large brown egg about six feet long.

"That is my young one." the monster informed them proudly. "It will be hatched shortly."

The monster set Sakon down into the nest who crinkled his nose at the sight of the egg. "And what do you want me to do about it? Abort it?"

"No, you will guard it while I'm gone." the monster stated. "My mate is out hunting and left me with the egg. I won't be able to hear intruders from where the little virgin and I are going. You will protect it or else."

Sakon crossed his arms. "And what happens when mama monster comes back and finds me here?"

"She will tear you apart."

"What if I tell her I'm just egg-sitting for you?"

The monster shook its heads. "It will not matter. Anything that goes near our kind's young will be destroyed regardless of explanation. It is her instincts to do so."

"Yeah...I think I'll pass, thank you." Sakon said, attempting to crawl out of the nest.

The monster pushed him back inside. "You do not have a choice in this. Someone must watch the egg and if you don't want me to stomp you then you'd better do as you're told."

Sakon let out a sigh. "Well, what if it hatches while you're away? I don't want some ugly slug-monster baby calling me 'daddy'."

"That won't happen." the monster assured him.

"Oh?"

"If it hatches, it will devour you."

Sakon crossed his arms and scowled. "Lovely."

"I will return shortly and you had better stay here. If you sneak off, I will track your scent to the very ends of the planet and eviscerate you."

"It looks like it'll happen either way." Sakon stated petulantly. "Dead if I do and dead if I don't."

"Your chances of survival are higher if you guard the egg." the monster said.

Sakon turned his eyes to The Postman. "You'd better find that book fast or I'll come back and haunt you."

The Postman nodded as he turned back towards the tunnel. "I'll be as fast as possible."

As The Postman began running off down the tunnel, the monster followed behind him, leaving Sakon alone in the darkness.

The thief felt around for the egg, and then hauled himself up so that he was sitting on it. He wasn't sure if the egg needed to be kept warm, but he wasn't going to take any chances. He whistled to himself for a few minutes feeling bored and then felt a stir of movement beneath him. Sakon froze as the egg gave another shift.

"Ah, crap..."

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The monster followed The Postman to the room at the very end of the tunnel but was much too large to fit through the doorway. Instead, it peered at him through the door as he searched through the clutter that made up the entire room. Everything in the room was ancient, covered in dust and in no particular order. The Postman's compulsion to tidy the room around him was almost overpowering but he managed to resist seeing as Sakon was waiting for him. Choking a bit on the dust, The Postman wiped at his eyes and moved another pile of papers. He immediately sneezed.

"What book is it that you're looking for?" the monster questioned. "Perhaps I can assist you?"

"It's large, red, and leather-bound." The Postman replied distractedly. "I was told I would find it here somewhere."

The monster reached several of its tentacles into the room to help him search and a moment later pulled out a red book.

"Is this it, little virgin?"

The Postman carefully took it from the monster and blew the thick layer of dust off of it. He turned the heavy book over in his hands, inspecting it carefully. The front cover said nothing, a simple etching of a rose on the front. Was this it? He opened the front cover and saw the entire book was written in ancient Terminian. This had to be it. He was just starting to translate a few words when there came a loud bellow from within the tunnels.

"JIHIROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The monster turned its heads to look down the tunnel in surprise.

"That bald friend of yours has a very loud mouth." he observed. "He's all the way back at the nest!"

"You have no idea." The Postman stated with a sigh. "I'm done now, so we can leave the tunnels."

"Very well, little virgin, but remember that you should not return again here. Once the little one is born, my mate and I will become even more protective and intruders will be killed."

The Postman gave a nod as the monster slowly backed itself up into the tunnel. He followed the monster through the tunnels back to where the nest was. The second the light of the torch reached Sakon, the thief sprung out of the nest towards them.

"What took you so long?!" Sakon bellowed. "I almost got eaten. AGAIN!"

The Postman held the torch up higher and saw that the brown egg was cracked.

"Sakon, what did you do?!" he cried. "Did you break the egg?!"

The monster was instantly at the nest. "No," the monster replied in a relieved voice. "My little one has started to hatch. It won't be long now."

Sakon gave The Postman a dirty look. "Apology accepted, dumbass. I'm a good babysitter, thank you very much!"

The Postman rolled his eyes. "Let's get out of here before the mother returns." he suggested.

Sakon couldn't agree more and nodded hurriedly. "Lead the way, darling!"

As they made their way back out through the tunnels, Sakon glanced down at the book in The Postman's arms.

"So, what's it say?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet, it's written in ancient Terminian. I'll have to take a look at it once we're out of the tunnels." The Postman answered.

Sakon accepted this answer and began whistling contentedly to himself as they walked along. When they came to the entrance of the tunnel, both were relieved to see the Gorons were still in the midst of their celebrations. The Goron shop was still empty so The Postman set the book on the counter to take a look at it. Opening the cover, he flipped a few pages and was silent as he read. Sakon peered over his shoulders but couldn't understand a word of it. The Postman's brow furrowed and he gave a frown as he turned the page. He then flipped through the rest of the book, only glancing at it briefly.

"What?" Sakon demanded. "What's it say?"

The Postman hesitated before glancing up at him, still frowning. "It's a book of fairytales..."

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**Reviews Make The Author Happy! :D**

**BTW, anyone who wants to see the crappy picture i drew of The Postman, you can see it here- treepaper dot deviantart dot com/art/A-Postman-s-Tale-366533676?q=gallery%3Atreepaper&qo=0 Just replace the word dot with an actual dot. :)**


	9. Sakon the Unwanted

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! Here is another semi-fast update! This chapter isn't as long as the previous one but I hope you guys find it fun. lol :) This is another chapter is mostly filler so don't expect any big laughs. Sakon is actually semi-serious for once!**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Mira Moonshine**

**TheEmptyLord**

**Chaos Wielder**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

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**Blood of The Postman**

Sakon the unwanted

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The Postman stared down at the large, leather-bound book and flipped back to the first page. Sakon scratched at his head in confusion as he watched over The Postman's shoulder and then said.

"Are you sure that's what it is? Maybe you just don't read ancient Terminian as well as you think?"

"LaPeeta and the Wolfos." The Postman read aloud. "Once upon a time in a land far away, there was a young child named LaPeeta-"

"Ok, I get it." Sakon interrupted. "Did you grab the wrong book or something?"

The Postman honestly wasn't sure and gave a shrug. The rose emblem on the front was the exact same that was on the letter so it seemed unlikely. "I'll read through it later to see if anything seems unusual to me." he said. "But for now, I think we should go see your uncles."

Sakon grimaced. "I don't think either of them will tell us anything. Believe me, I tried. They wouldn't tell me a thing about either of my parents."

"The last time you asked, you were a child, weren't you?" The Postman questioned. "You're a grown man now and I can't imagine them refusing to answer."

Sakon let out a snort. "You don't know my uncles. Both like to keep their secrets no matter how stupid or pointless they are. Look at The Happy Mask Salesman for example, he doesn't want anyone to know his true identity. Nobody cares, but he still makes me keep his dumb name a secret."

Considering the type of character The Happy Mask Salesman was, The Postman didn't find that at all surprising. He imagined it was so he could make an escape to another land if need be without anyone knowing him or his history.

"Still, we should try. Ichiro said that your family has something to do with me, and if your father is the one in the cloak, then perhaps they can shed some light on the subject."

Sakon gave a nod. "Don't get your hopes up."

"Guru Guru is in his windmill," The Postman stated. "And The Happy Mask Salesman is in his shop in Hyrule Town. Which should we go to?"

"Guru Guru." Sakon answered without hesitation. "And you have no idea how creepy your weird mail powers are. How do you do that?!"

The Postman shrugged and closed the book with a loud snap. "Alright, let's get going. The Gorons' celebrations could end any moment and you probably don't want to have to explain why you came back to the city after last time."

Sakon let out a sigh. "Stupid Gorons."

Holding the book under his arm, The Postman peered out the door where the celebrations were still taking place and then motioned for Sakon to follow him. Sakon had forgotten the horseblanket back in the tunnels and now regretted leaving it there. Knowing he stuck out like a sore thumb, he followed after The Postman, praying to any goddess that would listen to have them escape unseen.

Just as before, Link was at the centre of the celebration, laughing and drinking alongside the Gorons. The Postman barely spared them a glance as he slipped by, but Sakon couldn't take his eyes away from the hero.

"By the goddesses, please don't let a drunk hero mutilate me..." he mumbled, hurrying after The Postman.

It may have been because The Postman was so good at being unnoticeable or it may have been because most of the Gorons were drunk, but they made it out of the city safely. Sakon let out a deep breath of relief and stared up at the sky which seemed like it was trying to clear up. The horse was still waiting for them and Sakon approached, rubbing its nose affectionately.

"Cut this cast off of me?" Sakon requested, holding his leg out towards The Postman. "It's starting to itch."

"With what?" The Postman answered. "I don't have a knife."

"Um, darling, did you forget about the giant sword latched to your belt?"

The Postman glanced down at the sword with a frown. Slowly, he unsheathed it and stared at the gleaming, flawless blade. Ganondorf had told him it was enchanted and it seemed like the sword would never stop following him no matter what he did. If the sword insisted on stalking him, then he might as well find a use for it. Approaching Sakon, he carefully slit through the cast, the sword cutting through it like butter. Once his leg was free, Sakon grinned at him widely and kicked the cast far away from himself.

"I'm freeeeee!" he yelled out.

"Shh." The Postman scolded. "The Gorons could hear you."

Sakon rolled his eyes and mounted the horse. "Shall we get going then, darling?"

The Postman sheathed the sword and gave a nod, starting down the mountain trail. Sakon dug inside the horse's saddlebag as they went down the mountain and a moment later, pulled out the heart-shaped box of chocolates. Not saying a word, Sakon stuffed three into his mouth at once, munching contentedly.

"You had those in the saddlebag?" The Postman asked incredulously.

"Mmm hmm."

The Postman looked at the bulging saddlebag and then asked. "What else did you put in there?"

Sakon didn't answer, simply popping another chocolate into his mouth. Rolling his eyes, The Postman reached up to take one. Sakon immediately pulled the box out of his reach.

"Oh no, you don't!" the thief scolded. "You had your chance! Now they're all mine!"

To prove his point, Sakon stuffed several more into his mouth, giving The Postman a chocolately grin.

"You're going to get fat." The Postman observed.

Sakon swallowed loudly. "Naw."

"Why are you still riding the horse when your leg's been healed?" The Postman asked. "You're perfectly capable of walking."

"Pure, unadulterated laziness and nothing more." Sakon replied. "Besides, I'm making the horse feel useful."

The Postman said nothing more on the subject, walking in silence the rest of the way down the mountain to Kakariko Village. The guard at the gate gave a friendly nod to The Postman as he always did, but glanced at Sakon suspiciously. He didn't say anything but it was clear what he thought of the thief. Sakon simply gave the guard a sugar-sweet smile and urged the horse to go a little faster.

Sakon had finished almost the entire box of chocolates and shoved them back inside the saddlebag, whistling in contentment.

They crossed the village until they came to the windmill and Sakon nimbly hopped down off the horse.

"Don't get your hopes up." Sakon informed him. "Guru Guru has been getting worse over the years and he might not be up for company."

The Postman gave nod, remembering how unstable Sakon's uncle could be at times. He knew it upset Sakon seeing his uncle like that, but Sakon would never admit it. He kept a smile on his face no matter what, masking the uncertainty beneath it. It was clearly a trait he had learned from his other uncle.

Sakon took the stairs two at a time and opened the door without knocking. The Postman followed behind, content to allow Sakon to handle things. Instantly upon entering, they were hit with the loud, fractured music of the song of storms and The Postman glanced across the room at Guru Guru. The small, sad looking man was staring wistfully at nothing in particular, clearly lost in thought. He was turning the handle of his organ grinder almost mindlessly, and he didn't notice Sakon until the thief was directly in front of him.

"Hi, uncle."

"Grrrrrrrr." Guru Guru commented. "I'll never forget what happened that day-"

"Neither can I apparently." Sakon interrupted. "I've certainly heard it enough times."

Guru Guru paused, looked long and hard at Sakon, and then his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! Sakon, it's you!" he exclaimed. "Why are you home from school? Are those mean kids bullying you again? Do you need me to go talk to your teacher again?"

"Um, no?" Sakon answered hesitantly. "Don't you remember? I quit school when I was nine..."

This seemed to surprise Guru Guru a great deal who stopped playing the music. "Quit school? Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?! Education is very important!"

"Er...you told me to."

Guru Guru's eyes went distant for a moment. "I did? Well, that wasn't very smart of me...I should send you back."

Sakon let out a sigh. Apparently today was a bad day for Guru Guru. "I'm 31, uncle, I moved out years ago. I'm not a child anymore."

Guru Guru stared at Sakon another long moment and then gave a sad sort of nod. "I suppose you're not." he agreed. "I wish you were though, because I made a lot of mistakes that I would take back."

"Don't be stupid, I'm perfect." Sakon scolded.

Guru Guru slowly shook his head sadly and looked like he was about to say more, but his eyes fell on The Postman.

"Oh! It's little Jihiro!" he exclaimed. "How are you doing, my boy? Keeping out of trouble?"

The Postman glanced over at Sakon who motioned for him to answer.

"Yes, sir."

"I always liked you, you're good for Sakon!" Guru Guru told him. "Still planning on becoming a pirate when you grow up?"

"No...?"

Guru Guru snapped his fingers in realization. "Oh, that's right! That was last week, this week you're a courageous hero, aren't you?"

"I've grown up, sir, I'm not a child." The Postman answered, feeling awkward.

Guru Guru didn't seem to hear him, smiling warmly and waved him towards a few rickety chairs. "Take a seat!' he invited. "Make yourself at home!"

The Postman carefully took a seat as Sakon plunked himself down.

"I'd offer you some tea...but it appears I've misplaced my wallet again." Guru Guru said. "I haven't been able to replenish my cupboards in a few weeks, so I apologize."

If The Postman hadn't of been looking, he would have missed the briefest look of guilt that flashed across Sakon's face. The Postman clearly remembered that it had been Sakon who'd stolen the wallet. The look was gone almost as fast as it had appeared and Sakon gave his uncle a smile.

"We came here to ask you something very important, uncle."

Guru Guru nodded and sat down in the remaining chair. "Have you gotten yourself into trouble, Sakon?"

Sakon shook his head. "No, uncle, I want you to tell me about my parents."

Guru Guru frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sakon but we've been over this. Looking into the past is upsetting business. There are some things that could stay with you for the rest of your life; things that could drive you insane."

The Postman doubted Guru Guru was still talking about Sakon when he said that and Sakon clearly thought the same thing.

"Finding out who my dad is isn't going to traumatize me." Sakon stated. "I'm a grown man and I deserve to know! Tell me!"

"No."

Sakon quickly adopted an expression of irritation. "Why not?"

"Because you're too immature to know."

Sakon stomped one of his feet in anger. "I am not! You have no right to keep this from me! Who are they?!"

Guru Guru stared at Sakon with a surprising amount of patience. "Fine, Sakon, if you really want to know that badly, go ask my brother. It was his decision to keep it from you, so he'll have to be the one to tell you."

"Aw, crap, I was afraid you were going to say that." Sakon mumbled. "Getting information out of him is like trying to get blood out of a rock."

"Have you finished all your homework?" Guru Guru suddenly demanded. "You can't get behind again!"

"Yes..." Sakon answered with a frown.

Guru Guru nodded, pleased. "Alright, then you can go outside and play until supper."

Sakon nodded, not really having anything more to say. "Goodbye, uncle. I'll visit again shortly."

As Sakon stood to his feet, Guru Guru threw his arms around Sakon, giving him a bone-crushing hug. Sakon wheezed and squirmed away.

"Goodbye, Sakon. Don't pick any flowers from Mrs. Peacock's flowerbed."

Sakon snickered. "Peacock... Yeah, I won't."

Seemingly satisfied, Guru Guru seemed to forget they were there altogether and began playing the song of storms once again. The Postman exchanged a look with Sakon and then stood to his feet to leave. Seeing a movement out of the corner of his eye, The Postman turned around just in time to see Sakon leave a fat wallet on the desk where his uncle would find it. There was obviously a great deal more rupees in it than when Sakon had stolen it. When Sakon saw him watching, his cheeks burned red and he hurried out the door muttering something about his reputation being ruined.

The Postman smiled and followed after him. As Sakon mounted the horse, The Postman turned his gaze up to the sky which was once again starting to darken.

"I told you he wouldn't tell us anything."

"Let's get to Hyrule Town before the storm starts again." The Postman suggested. "We can ask your other uncle."

This isn't going to be fun." Sakon stated with a sigh. "I owe him money, so he's going to be a jerk about it."

"There has to be some reason why your uncles are so reluctant to tell you about your parents."

"Well, if my dad is a villain then he'd fit right in with the rest of the family. I don't know why they're being so secretive about it. Do they think knowing there's a villain in the family will taint my innocent soul or something?"

Sakon couldn't help but give a giggle at that.

The Postman couldn't help but wonder why Sakon was taking everything so well. He found out his father could be a mass-murdering villain and he just took it in stride. He knew Sakon had been around villains his entire life and that perhaps he was a little desensitized to it, but surely he'd have some reaction?

The Postman watched as Sakon leaned back on the horse, whistling, and shook his head in disbelief. Was it an act or did Sakon truly not care?

"Ugh, I think I ate too many chocolates."

Apparently he just didn't care.

As they walked down the stairs to Hyrule Field, there was a loud rumble of thunder overhead. The Postman gave another glance up, remembering the lightening that had struck at the funeral.

"Do you think he knows I've left on the quest?" The Postman asked. "Would my family be safe now?"

Sakon gave a shrug. "Your mystery goddess told you they'd be safe so I'm going to go with yes. It would be a lot easier if she just zapped the guy, but apparently she's a masochist."

"He might be your father." The Postman pointed out. "You're okay with a goddess 'zapping' him?"

Sakon let out a snort. "He may be my father by blood but he means nothing to me. Guru Guru is more of a father than he is. The goddesses can 'zap' all they want!"

The Postman said nothing more on the subject, Sakon's angry demeanor telling him enough. They crossed the short distance to Hyrule Town just as the gate was about to close. Although it was only dusk, the town square was already pretty much deserted and they headed straight for the mask shop. Sakon tried the door, found it locked and banged on it loudly.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but the shop is closed for the night." The Happy Mask Salesman called politely through the door.

"Open up!" Sakon ordered. "It's me!"

There was a hesitation. "What's the password?"

"You're a dick. Open up."

The lock clicked and Sakon pulled open the door, this clearly being a normal occurrence between the two. The Happy Mask Salesman was seated at the counter, a cup of tea in hand, and gave his nephew an eery grin.

"Nephew." he greeted. "Have you come to pay me back?"

"No." Sakon answered. "I came for information."

The Happy Mask Salesman gave Sakon a thoughtful look. "Information can be expensive, as you know."

Sakon crossed his arms. "No, you'll give me this information for free."

"Oh? Will I now?"

"Yes."

The Postman noted that Sakon was still keeping his distance despite acting so confident. The Happy Mask Salesman smiled at him knowingly and took a sip of his tea. Sakon's eyes widened.

"You already know what I'm going to ask!" he accused.

"I do." The Happy Mask Salesman confirmed.

"You're creepy." Sakon commented, with a frown.

The Happy Mask Salesman didn't seem offended by the comment and motioned for Sakon to join him at the counter.

The Postman noted there were three teacups and a plate of cookies on the counter as if The Happy Mask Salesman had been expecting company. Sakon snatched up one of the cups of tea, giving his uncle a dirty look as he took a seat.

"If you know what I want, then why not just tell me?" he demanded.

"I suppose it is time that I told you." The Happy Mask Salesman stated thoughtfully. "You might not come back from this quest, so you should know your family history. Every clan member should know where they come from."

"'Might not come back'?!" Sakon exclaimed. "What do you know about this quest that I don't? Am I going to die?!"

"You must understand something, Sakon." The Happy Mask Salesman began. "Who your father is doesn't matter. It won't give you any peace of mind. It's what's in your blood that matters."

Sakon let out a sigh of annoyance. "Why keep it from me?" he demanded. "Who are you protecting?! Him?"

"You, Sakon." The Happy Mask Salesman replied, taking another sip of tea. "He should never have been a father. To continue with your quest, you'll need to know this."

Sakon gulped down half his cup of tea as The Postman took a seat beside him. "Tell me." he ordered.

The Happy Mask Salesman paused a long moment, staring into his cup of tea as he considered how to answer. "He didn't want you, Sakon, and was very neglectful. When you were born, he tried to sell you to another villain."

Sakon's eyes widened. "What?!"

The Happy Mask Salesman nodded. "It took Guru Guru and I two days to track you down. We had to buy you back from the villain at double the cost."

Sakon wasn't sure what to say to this. "You bought me?! Like a bag of turnips or something? You mean you actually own me?!"

The Happy Mask Salesman shook his head. "You're your own person, Sakon. I had no interest in 'owning' you. You weren't valuable enough."

Sakon scowled at him. "Gee thanks, now don't I feel special?"

"So, he sold Sakon and you got him back?" The Postman asked, still not sure how to feel about this.

The Happy Mask Salesman nodded.

"I thought my brother would get used to the idea of being a father over time, but he never did. Every time we left you with him, something bad happened. You had new bruises every time you visited him and were getting extremely stressed. When you were four, he abandoned you in the middle of a field at nighttime. You ran the entire night from monsters before I found you. After that, we stopped letting you visit him."

"Why didn't I live with my mother?" Sakon demanded.

The Happy Mask Salesman shook his head. "She was very young and a baby would have ruined her. She left you with your father and never looked back."

Sakon frowned. He had preferred thinking they were both dead instead of just selfish jerks. "Who's my father?" he demanded.

"You must promise not to seek revenge against him." The Happy Mask Salesman stated. "He may have wronged you, but he's still your father and still my brother."

"I'm not promising that! He sold me like a sack of grain!"

The Happy Mask Salesman could understand the want for revenge so he relented and gave a nod. "Then you must swear not to go near him until your quest is complete. You cannot afford any distractions right now."

"Who." Sakon demanded.

"I won't tell you until you promise. Do I have your word?"

"Yes, now who?!"

The Happy Mask Salesman let out a heavy sigh. "You work for him."

Sakon looked horrified. "Ganondorf?!"

The Happy Mask Salesman slapped a hand to his face in exasperation. "Your other boss."

Sakon paused. "The Curiosity Shop Owner?"

The Happy Mask Salesman gave a nod.

Sakon instantly fell silent as that sunk in, and then he clenched his fists in rage. "That son of a bitch!" he yelled. "I'll kill him! That creepy, sleazy, son of a bitch!"

"Getting angry will accomplish nothing, Sakon."

"Says you! I worked for that creep since I was 14! He paid me starvation wages and treated me like crap! I'm going to kill him! There won't be enough of him left to identify! I'll pound in his face until he looks like a Deku Scrub!"

"You promised." The Happy Mask Salesman reminded. "No revenge."

Sakon hesitated, knowing it was an extremely bad idea to break a deal with his uncle. "I'd like to renegotiate?" he requested.

The Happy Mask Salesman shook his head, smile growing wider. "Not a chance."

Sakon kicked the counter hard in his anger. "Fine, but I am going to kill him! I'll hammer his head in and wipe that smug look right off his face!"

Sakon kicked the counter a second time in a full-blown rage but The Happy Mask Salesman simply drank his tea calmly.

The Postman couldn't imagine what it would be like being told all of this, and placed a restraining hand on Sakon's arm. Sakon glanced at him and frowned.

"Why can't I have a cool origin story like you?" he whined. "Instead, I get a deadbeat father and a creepy uncle!"

"It doesn't change anything." The Postman assured him.

"How does this not change anything?!"

"You are who you are, Sakon. It's best to just let it go for now."

"Easy for you to say. You lived the picture of a perfect family! From the day I was born, I never stood a chance!"

The Happy Mask Salesman decided to interrupt.

"Do you remember the bedtime story I told you when you were young, Sakon?" he asked.

Sakon frowned. "The one that gave me nightmares for a week?"

"That's the one." The Happy Mask Salesman replied. "Sometimes stories have more to them than they appear. Our family came from the desert far past the Forbidden District. You two will need to travel there to find your answers."

"If you already know, why won't you just tell us?"

"It's character building." The Happy Mask Salesman replied, giving Sakon an infuriating grin.

Sakon scowled at him. "Creepy jerk."

"This quest is the entire purpose of your existence, Sakon, so please don't mess it up. The pieces are finally starting to fall into place after a thousand years. Stay by your friend's side and listen to the owl."

"Mess what up? I don't even know what we're supposed to do!" Sakon protested. "And why are you assuming I'll mess it up?"

The Happy Mask Salesman stared directly into Sakon's eyes without a word and Sakon fidgeted, hating when his uncle did that.

"This is more important than you realize, but unfortunately if I tell you too much, I run the risk of changing destiny. Our people's blood run through your veins, Sakon, however diluted it may be. You may have been unwanted, but you certainly aren't unimportant."

Sakon squinted, trying to make sense of that, uncertain whether to take it as a compliment or not. "Who are our people?"

"You'll find out in your travels." The Happy Mask Salesman replied, "You must keep moving or Jihiro could be found. If he's caught, then we've lost everything."

Sakon glanced over at The Postman who had been quietly listening. The Postman gave a shrug, so Sakon turned his gaze back to his uncle.

"What's so important about Jihiro?"

"You'll find out."

Sakon let out a hiss of annoyance, but knew there was no forcing information out of The Happy Mask Salesman.

"Cross the Gerudo Desert and then the Forbidden District." The Happy Mask Salesman instructed. "Don't separate from one another."

Sakon was silent a very long moment as he stared down at the floor, and then he glanced up at his uncle. "Which goddess has you under her thumbnail?" he demanded. "Who's pulling all the strings?"

"She wishes to remain anonymous."

"Go figure." Sakon snapped. "You were a big waste of time as always. I don't know why we even bothered."

"By the way, you still owe me 2750 rupees." The Happy Mask Salesman pointed out.

"What?!" Sakon protested. "No I don't! I owe you 1500! Don't try to cheat me!"

"1000 for the mask you switched the price-tag on, 500 for curing Jihiro's curse, 1200 for the mask you purposely broke and 50 from when you stole out of my cash drawer. 2750."

Sakon gave him a look of death but couldn't deny it. "Fine, but you're going to have to wait."

The Postman was confused. "Curse? What curse?"

Sakon waved him off dismissively. "I may have accidentally turned you into a raccoon on the Windfish's island."

"What?!"

Sakon gave his uncle one final icy look, took a cookie off the plate, and then turned towards the door. "Come on, Jihiro, let's get out of here."

"The gate's closed for the night, Sakon. Unless you want to sleep in the alley, you should spend the night."

Although angry, Sakon saw the logic in this and turned towards the counter. Lifting it up, he motioned for The Postman to follow him upstairs.

"Fine, but we're leaving in the morning."

The Happy Mask Salesman simply grinned, his red eyes glinting knowingly. Sakon quickly ran up the stairs. The Postman paused and then followed him.

"You turned me into a raccoon?!" he called after the thief.

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Reviews Make The Author Happy!


	10. The Quest Begins

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! It wasn't too long between updates this time! :D I'll try to update at least once a week.**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Mira Moonshine**

**TheEmptyLord**

**Chaos Wielder**

**Light Sakura**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman**

The Quest Begins

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The Postman was unable to sleep. Every time he shut his eyes, even for a moment, he could feel the nightmares creeping in. The cloaked man seemed more determined than ever to get to him, his presence scratching away at his mind like a thorn.

Sakon lay in the bed beside him, oblivious as usual, and The Postman slowly sat up. It was extremely late and the room blanketed in darkness, the only light coming from a small window above the bed. Getting to his feet, he approached the door and removed the chair Sakon had wedged underneath the knob.

The Postman found it curious that Sakon was still that afraid of his uncle, and personally didn't think it was justified. The Happy Mask Salesman had helped raise him, didn't he? One would think Sakon would be used to his uncle's ways by now. Sakon, however, had been adamant about it, and had secured the door before even attempting to relax.

The Postman opened the door and peered out cautiously, but everything was silent and still. The crack beneath The Happy Mask Salesman's bedroom door was dark, so The Postman decided to read through the red leather book as everyone slept. Slipping silently out the door, he headed downstairs to the shop and set the book on top of the counter. Pulling up a chair, he lit a lamp and opened the book's front cover.

He quickly read through several of the fairytales but couldn't see anything wrong with them. The tales were of a darker version than he remembered, but nothing too out of the ordinary. What was so important about this book? It looked exactly like a regular children's book. Feeling like he was being watched, he looked up at all of the masks surrounding him. The flickering light of the lamp made the masks shadowed and demonic looking, all seemingly staring straight at him. The Postman stared a long moment, and then got up to take a closer look at them.

In all the years he'd delivered The Happy Mask Salesman's mail, he'd never once actually looked at his wares. He knew The Happy Mask Salesman dealt in magic and mystery and wondered if all his masks were as abnormal as the ones he'd seen in his travels. Walking along a wall of masks, he inspected them without getting too near. One mask in particular seemed to stand out, its malevolent grin stretched wide, pointed teeth hanging out of its snarling mouth. The Postman stared at its red-painted eyes which seemed a little too life-like and gave a shudder. Who would ever buy something like that? About to turn away, he paused as he thought he saw the eyes move.

The Postman stared long and hard at the mask, but it didn't move again. Now wary, he very hesitantly reached a finger towards it and touched the side of the mask. It was made of wood and clearly not alive so he relaxed and gave it another poke. Nothing jumped out at him, so he was curious about how much the The Happy Mask Salesman was charging for such a hideous mask. Very carefully removing it from the wall, The Postman turned it over and then froze at what he saw. Where the back of the mask should have been was pure darkness, an empty void that seemed to be drawing him in. The Postman couldn't seem to look away from it and he nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Dropping the mask to the floor, he spun around to see The Happy Mask Salesman giving him an extremely disapproving look.

"This mask is not for you." The Happy Mask Salesman scolded, kneeling down to pick it up. "This mask has ruined many lives and will someday bring about the fall of a great king. It is not for meddlesome postmen to play with."

The Postman instantly felt sheepish. "Sorry."

The Happy Mask Salesman turned over the mask as if inspecting it for damage and then placed it back on the wall. "The Mask of Horrors is one of three great masks the goddesses created long ago. The first was a mask of power and evil that nearly destroyed the world ten years ago. The second was a mask of time and travel which allowed the wearer to cross into other worlds and even change their own history. The third is the mask of horrors and is fear in its purest form. It will show you visions of whatever will scare you most and it has the ability to crack even the strongest mind."

The Postman wasn't sure why The Happy Mask Salesman was telling him all this but nodded all the same.

The Happy Mask Salesman's eyes seemed to go distant for a moment as he ran a finger gently down the side of the mask and then he turned away. "The goddesses have created many great and terrible things in this world, postman. Some may assist you while others will only destroy you. Take care to recognize which ones are traps."

"**I don't like him**."

The Postman jumped at the sudden voice in his mind and looked around before he realized who it was.

"**He reeks of sneakiness**." Ichiro commented. "**Don't trust him**."

"Everything will be fine." The Postman answered both to Ichiro and The Happy Mask Salesman. "I'll be careful."

The Happy Mask Salesman cocked his head at him thoughtfully for a moment and then turned to the counter. "What's this you're reading?" he questioned.

"**Don't tell him**."

"Just an old book of fairytales." The Postman answered.

The Happy Mask Salesman flipped through several pages curiously and then said. "These stories are similar to the ones I used to tell Sakon as a child."

The Postman remembered Sakon's comment about having nightmares from the stories and he could definitely see why. The stories in the book were very dark and would be very upsetting for a child. The Happy Mask Salesman seemingly lost interest in the book and turned towards the stairs.

"Kindly don't handle the masks or many unfortunate things may happen."

As he disappeared from sight, The Postman frowned.

"**Did he just threaten you**?" Ichiro demanded angrily.

"I thought you and he were on the same side?" The Postman asked. "He says that he's also working with the goddess.'

Ichiro let out a snort. "**I don't believe that for a second. I don't trust him and I think you should leave.**"

"It's the middle of the night." The Postman pointed out. "Where am I going to go?"

"**Anywhere but here. I have a bad feeling about him**."

"That's just the way he is." The Postman responded. "Everyone gets a bad feeling about him, including his own nephew."

The Postman took a seat at the counter again and flipped to the next story. "Are you going to tell me what I should be looking for in this?" he questioned.

"**You haven't figured it out yet?**" Ichiro asked, incredulously. "**I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.**"

"Well, maybe if someone would actually give me a straight answer for once, I'd have an easier time." The Postman grumbled.

Ichiro let out a snort. "**You've been given more than enough hints. If you're still that lost, ask the thief."**

The Postman furrowed his brow. "Sakon? But he doesn't know anymore than I do."

"**Shows what ****you**** know**." Ichiro replied. "**Give him the book**."

The Postman stared down at the book a long moment and then said. "Sakon can't read it. How is he supposed to help?"

There was no answer.

"Ichiro?"

The Postman let out a sigh and snapped the book closed. He didn't understand why everyone always insisted on making things so difficult for him. If they wanted his help, then why not just tell him what he needed to do? He could still feel a presence in his mind so he had a feeling Ichiro was still there watching, although he wasn't responding. Had Ichiro used up what power he had at the moment and couldn't speak?

"Are you still there, Ichiro?"

When there was still no response, The Postman figured that he was right about Ichiro's power being limited. Picking up the book, he headed back upstairs to the bedroom.

Sakon had rolled over in his sleep and was taking up the entire bed, his limbs sprawled in all directions. He was snoring loudly from the awkward position he'd put himself in and The Postman approached him. Giving his shoulder a hard shake, Sakon let out an unintelligible growl and shifted.

"Sakon?' The Postman said loudly. 'Wake up, I need to talk to you."

Sakon turned his head, squinted up at him and then groaned. "Normal people sleep at this hour! Go away!"

Ignoring him, The Postman shoved the book onto Sakon's chest. Sakon rubbed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Fine. What do you want?" he demanded.

"I want you to look through this book to see if anything sticks out to you."

Sakon propped himself up against the headboard and stared down at the book in annoyance. "I can't read it, dumbass. You'd have a better idea than me! I can't believe you woke me up for this!"

"Ichiro said that you would know what we're looking for if I gave you the book."

Sakon let out a snort and shoved the book off his lap. "Looks like dumbassery is genetic in your family."

The Postman could have imagined it, but for a brief second he thought he felt a prickle of anger flare from Ichiro.

"'**Dumbassery' isn't a word**."

The Postman didn't comment, instead pushing the book back towards Sakon. "Just try." he urged.

Sakon let out a longsuffering sigh and opened the book. He flipped for a moment or so and then commented. "At least there's pictures."

The Postman took a seat on the edge of the bed so he could watch, and there was silence as Sakon flipped through page after page. He was clearly disinterested and annoyed, but he still carefully flipped through the pages. Sakon was about halfway through the big book when his eyes widened in alarm and he quickly flipped the page past a certain illustration.

"What?" The Postman demanded, reaching out to turn the page back.

"Nothing." Sakon commented, not letting him touch the book. "I just really hate that fairytale."

The Postman tried to change the page back to no avail. "Why?" he demanded.

"My uncle told me this fairytale when I was little and it gave me nightmares for a week." Sakon said with a shudder. "I think he did it on purpose too."

Remembering what The Happy Mask Salesman had said to Sakon the night before, The Postman realized it had to be connected. "Show me." he ordered.

Sakon gave him a glare but did turn the page back. The Postman stared at the illustration of a man burning at the stake and glanced down at the title.

"The Hunter." he translated as Sakon twitched.

"That story is horrible and shouldn't be read to children!" Sakon commented. "My uncle is such a jerk!"

The Postman quickly read through the story and saw this version was a lot more gruesome than the version he'd been read as a child. Other than that, it seemed pretty ordinary.

"It's just the story of The Hunter, Sakon. Fairytales nowadays are very tame compared to what they were when this book was written. The original fairytales never had happy endings."

Sakon frowned down at the picture. "Leave it to my uncle to read me the traumatic version."

The Postman considered what the story could mean. "The Hunters were supposed to be able to track anyone anywhere that they wished to kill. There was no escaping and there was no hiding. No matter where you went, they would eventually find you. They were hired as mercenaries by other tribes and prospered on the fear of others. The people in this story began fighting back however, and one by one The Hunters were all caught and then executed. In this version, the only way to kill a Hunter was by violent, gruesome deaths. Some were skinned alive, others burnt at the stake, while the vast majority were bound and stoned. The fairytale ends ambiguously with the final Hunter placing a curse on the world that his people would rise again and kill the chosen hero of the goddesses. When The Hunter rose again, the world would end."

Sakon furrowed his brow. "Thanks for the recap, darling, but I really don't think this is what we're looking for. Hunters were just made up to scare small children into behaving. Monsters like that never existed!"

"It seems like too much of a coincidence to me." The Postman stated. "The cloaked man that's searching for me said that he's going to kill me. What if it is related?"

Sakon crossed his arms, not buying it. "Fine, if this guy's a Hunter, then why doesn't he know where you are?"

The Postman thought a moment and then double-checked something in the story. "A Hunter needs to know your name in order to find you. The cloaked man doesn't know my name or what I look like, so he has no idea where I am."

Although it seemed like a plausible answer, Sakon didn't want to believe the monster of his nightmares was a real thing. He gave his head a stubborn shake and pushed the book towards The Postman.

"Hunters aren't real." he insisted.

"Hunters are very much real." The Happy Mask Salesman stated from the doorway.

Sakon nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of his uncle watching from the open doorway. He immediately turned an accusatory glare at The Postman.

"You left the door open, and now look what oozed in!"

The Postman rolled his eyes and glanced over at The Happy Mask Salesman.

"Will you tell us what we need to do now that we know about The Hunter?"

The Happy Mask Salesman smiled. "I simply came to inform you that the sun will be up shortly and that you should get ready to start your journey. You cannot stay here any longer."

Sakon gave him a grumpy look, clearly annoyed about not being able to go back to sleep. "If you're tossing me to the curb, did you at least make breakfast?"

"In the kitchen." The Happy Mask Salesman stated, turning to leave.

Once he was gone, The Postman gave Sakon an incredulous look. "The Happy Mask Salesman cooks?!" Just the idea of it seemed too surreal to consider.

Sakon gave a shrug. "I only visit him for the food." he replied. "He may be evil and creepy, but he's a damn good cook."

"**Don't you dare eat anything that man offers you**." Ichiro ordered.

"I'm not hungry anyway." The Postman replied.

Sakon crinkled his nose at him. "Who said I was sharing with you?" he asked jokingly. "All the more for me."

"**Watch the thief to see if he dies from eating it, and then you'll know whether it's safe**."

The Postman thought Ichiro was being rather cruel and paranoid and let out a sigh.

"**I can hear your thoughts, you know**." Ichiro pointed out. "**And it's not paranoia, it's common sense**."

"_You can hear my thoughts?!_" The Postman thought towards Ichiro in surprise.

"**Of course I can, I'm in your mind right now, aren't I**?"

The Postman wasn't sure he liked the idea of that. He preferred his thoughts and observations to be private.

"_Is there a way to block any thoughts not pertaining to you?_" The Postman questioned. "_I'd like a __little__ privacy, thank you_."

"**If there was, I wouldn't tell you. I like seeing sincerity when I speak with people**."

"_Who said you could invade my head in the first place?" _The Postman demanded_. "I certainly never gave permission_."

"**You did when you began this quest. By consenting to the quest, you consented for both the goddess and I to do what is necessary**."

"_Well, keep out of my private thoughts or I'm going home."_

"**I'd like to let you know that the thief just stole your wallet**."

"_What_?" The Postman asked in surprise, glancing at the other side of the bed.

Sakon was nowhere in sight, clearly having snuck off while he was distracted. Jumping to his feet, The Postman hurried after him.

"Sakon!"

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The Postman stopped the horse just outside of the Gerudo Fortress and squinted at all of the armed guards milling about.

"Ganondorf must be planning something." Sakon observed. "You know anything about this?"

The Postman shook his head. "He never said anything to me when I spoke with him. I have no idea what he's planning."

"Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't involve me." Sakon commented.

"We'd better hurry up and get to the desert before something happens." The Postman suggested. "We don't want to get caught in the middle of it."

"**Someone's coming**.**"** Ichiro warned him suddenly.

The Postman looked over his shoulder and saw Link riding full speed towards the Gerudos. Sakon turned to see what he was looking at and immediately his eyes widened.

"By the goddesses!" he exclaimed in horror. "He's got to have one Din of a hangover this early in the morning! Let's get out of here before he notices us!"

Without even waiting for a reply, Sakon snapped the horse's reins and took off at a full gallop towards the desert. The Postman ran after him, quite aware that more and more Gerudos were coming out of the fortress. They had a lead on Link and although the hero had the faster horse, they made it to the Gerudos before he did. The Gerudos all gave the two of them the briefest of glances but kept their attention on the quickly approaching threat. Sakon expertly wove the horse in and around Gerudos, hardly breaking speed. Link reached the group of Gerudos who all suddenly surged forward, weapons raised.

The Postman was knocked hard to the ground, every Gerudo focussing entirely on Link. The Postman was stepped on over and over and he instinctively curled up into a ball, protecting his head with his arms as the army passed over him.

"**What are you doing?!**" Ichiro yelled loudly. "**Get up! Get up! You're going to be trampled! Get up!**"

"_I can't!_" The Postman cried. "_I can't move!_"

"**Don't you ****dare**** let yourself be killed by these desert rats! Get up!**"

The Postman tried to get to his knees, but was immediately knocked flat again as his back was stepped on.

"**GET UP!"**

The Postman struggled to get up again and could barely lift himself before he was knocked flat to the ground. As lay stunned, he was struck hard in the side of the head and everything went black.

It was almost like he had only blinked, and The Postman opened his eyes, fully expecting to be stepped on again. When no one did, he looked around himself in surprise. He was standing in the desert far from the Gerudo Fortress, with Sakon riding at his side. The Postman gave a long blink and gave another look all around.

"...what happened?" he asked Sakon.

Sakon gave him a really strange sideways glance. "Ganondorf is going to be really mad at you." he replied.

Sakon seemed almost hesitant to speak to him, as if he were testing the waters, and The Postman gave him a confused look.

"What? Why?"

Sakon stared at him a long moment and then motioned for The Postman to look down. When The Postman did so, he saw he was holding a bloodstained sword tightly in his fist. The Postman let out a gasp and dropped it, looking up at Sakon in horror.

"What did I do?!" he cried.

Sakon frowned at him. "You really don't remember?" he questioned.

The Postman shook his head wildly. "All I remember is losing consciousness in the crowd!"

"You went all psycho warrior from hell." Sakon replied, glancing back at the Gerudo Fortress. "Man, Ganondorf's going to be mad! You'd better not go back there for a loooooong time!"

"Did...did I kill anyone?" The Postman hesitantly asked, not sure if he wanted to know.

Sakon saw the look and gave a shrug. "I don't know, it was hard to tell...but you did win the fight for Link..."

The Postman grimaced. There was no doubt about it; Ganondorf was going to eviscerate him the next time he saw him.

"You also flipped off Link when he came to thank you." Sakon stated, the barest hint of amusement in his eyes. "The look on his face was priceless."

The Postman rubbed at his temple and shook his head. "I don't remember."

"You were also being mean to me!" Sakon complained. "You said I was an ugly, pathetic, weak parasite that barely deserved to be called a man! You said that if you didn't need me, you would have gladly run me through!"

The Postman grimaced. "I'm sorry, Sakon. There's something very wrong with me..."

Sakon gave him another odd look. "So, when you told me that the cloaked man claimed you were a monster, you really weren't joking."

The Postman shook his head. "I'm hoping that once I rescue Ichiro, the goddess will cure me. There is a monster inside me, and it seems to be getting stronger."

Sakon thought about that for a second and then said. "Whatever that was, it wasn't you. It may have looked like you, but its eyes were cold and dead-looking. If you're possessed, we should be looking for a priest, not some sibling of yours."

"I have no choice." The Postman replied, giving the sword a kick. "I have to complete the quest or its my family who pays the price."

"You see?" Sakon exclaimed. "This is exactly why I'm a heathen! All the gods do is screw people over for their own benefit!"

The Postman quickly looked up towards the sky. "Sakon, you shouldn't say such things."

Sakon glared up at the sky. "I'll say what I want! I don't like the way they keep messing with you! They should just leave you alone!"

There was a distant rumble of thunder overhead.

"Sakon, shh!"

"No! They turned you into a killer and its not right! I've always lived in the world of villains, but it's not right for you! You're a nobody who should have lived out his boring, repetitive life as a postman! The gods are assholes!"

There was a loud BOOM from overhead and the sky quickly began to darken.

"Come on, let's just keep going..." The Postman suggested, eyeing the sky warily. "I don't want to be struck by lightening."

"Fine." Sakon relented, snapping the horse's reins. "But I still get to ride the horse. Monsters get to walk."

As they made their way into the desert, The Postman couldn't tear his eyes away from his bloodstained hands. The thunder continued to rumble, and The Postman noted that all this time Ichiro hadn't said a word.

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**Reviews Make The Author Happy!**


	11. Sandstorm

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! Ugh! So sorry for the long gap between updates again! I was sick again and was tortured by horrible nurses who didn't know how to use a needle. I'm back now, so the next chapter should be out in a few days! I wrote this chapter while on morphine so i apologize if it's not quite up to my usual standard.**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**TheEmptyLord**

**Chaos Wielder**

**Light Sakura**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Sandstorm

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Sakon knew The Postman was incredibly upset over what had happened and wasn't quite sure what to do. Attacking several people didn't seem too bad in his books, but The Postman was a civilian and therefore not used to it. Deciding to cheer him up, he told all of his best jokes and a few tavern stories. The Postman had simply given him an unimpressed look and surprisingly stayed silent. Normally, The Postman would have told him to shut up hours ago, so Sakon knew he was really upset.

The Postman stared down at the ground as they travelled, his eyes distant and a frown set deeply in place. The sky was almost black from clouds, and thunder still rumbled loudly overhead.

"**Weeping soldier, dry your tears,**

**Drown your thoughts of yesteryears,"**

"Ichiro?"

"**Think of what we've done this day,**

**You'll have that always, come what may,"**

"Where have you been?"

"**Gaze not upon the battlefield,**

**Where they their swords no longer wield,**

**Wounds will heal, the conscience mends,**

**Remorse at killing eventually ends,**

**Push from your thoughts this day's sorrow,**

**Just think of what we'll accomplish tomorrow!**"

"That is inappropriate." The Postman scolded angrily. "Really, really inappropriate!"

"**I thought it fit the situation nicely**." Ichiro replied.

Sakon turned around and stared at him with wide eyes, clearly not expecting such an outburst. "Uh, sorry?" he stated hesitantly. "I was just trying to cheer you up."

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Ichiro." The Postman replied.

"...Ichiro...riiiiight."

"**What is that supposed to mean**?" Ichiro demanded. "**Ask him what he meant by that**!"

"No." The Postman said firmly. "I'm not starting a fight between you two."

Sakon gave him another glance. "Start a fight about what? Is he trash-talking me?"

The Postman heaved a heavy, exasperated sigh and didn't answer. Instead he said. "Sakon, you should get down off the horse. It's too hot to be riding him."

"Aww." Sakon complained, sliding down. "I don't weigh that much!"

"Whatever you've packed in those saddlebags looks more than heavy enough." The Postman responded, gazing out across the desert. "I don't think my parents will appreciate you killing their horse."

The sky didn't look promising and the wind seemed to be picking up considerably. Sakon trudged at his side, feigning indignance, but it was clear by his smirk, he didn't mind walking at all. Ichiro was silent for a while until another strong gust of wind hit them.

"**It's going to get really ugly soon**." Ichiro informed him. "**The goddesses love proving a point.**"

The Postman figured as much and frowned at Sakon. "You shouldn't have mocked the gods, Sakon. It looks like there's going to be a storm."

The Postman stared ahead as another powerful gust of wind hit them, nearly knocking them off their feet. Sakon wiped sand out of his eyes and stopped walking.

"Well, maaaybe I was a little hasty..." he admitted. "So what are we gonna do about it?"

They were miles away from the nearest civilization and there was nothing but sand as far as they could see. The Postman gave a shrug. Sakon had been in much worse situations than a sandstorm so he approached the horse and began digging in the saddlebag. He pulled out a handful of things and tossed something into The Postman's arms. When The Postman looked down to see what it was he saw a pair of goggles and some sort of facemask.

"...I thought you didn't like masks?" he questioned.

Sakon was busy putting his own on as he responded. "I do, but these aren't real masks, they're something the Gerudo use when travelling. The mask's material keeps dust and sand out."

It seemed pretty much the same to him, but The Postman said nothing and fastened the mask around his face. As he put on the goggles, he watched as Sakon fastened a mask around the horse's snout and then began adjusting a pair of goggles for it.

"Where did you get this stuff?" The Postman wondered out loud.

Sakon raised an eyebrow at him. "You really have to ask? Even after seeing me steal from nearly everyone we meet?"

"Oh." was The Postman's only response.

Sakon encouraged the horse to lay down behind a large sand dune and he then tied a thick tarp over top of it for protection. The Postman knew the horse would be kept cool and safe during the storm and then helped Sakon set up a small tent.

"I can't believe you had all this in the saddlebag." he commented. "What else do you have in there?"

Sakon gave a shrug. "Stuff." he answered evasively.

When the tent was set up, both crawled inside and zipped it shut.

"If it's not too bad, we can probably just wait it out." Sakon told him, making himself comfortable.

The wind howled around them and for the longest time, The Postman simply sat still listening to it. He had pulled down his mask, feeling too stuffy and Sakon had done the same. Ichiro had gone silent again, although The Postman was sure he was still watching. Sakon was napping contentedly like this sort of thing happened to him often, but The Postman still felt uneasy. Ichiro had told him the storm was going to get bad, but so far it was only windy.

Hours passed and finally The Postman felt himself begin to relax and he began drifting off.

The storm came upon them suddenly in the night. The wind had been getting increasingly violent, and it was an enormous blast of wind and sand that ripped the tent down. One moment they were attempting sleep and the next they were choking on sand. Sakon reacted quickly and pulled his face mask up over his nose and yanked down his goggles. Years of being a thief gave him the ability to act quickly to danger. The Postman wasn't quite so fast and got a good lungful of sand before he had time to react. As he choked and gagged, Sakon reached over and pulled The Postman's mask and goggles into place.

The horse didn't seem too concerned over the storm since it was protected, so both men scrambled over to it to gain shelter by its side. The wind howled all around them, violently drowning out all other sound. Unable to see a thing, The Postman stared all around him, worried about how bad the storm was becoming. Sakon had his head buried against the horse blanket and wasn't looking in The Postman's direction at all.

The Postman had never been this close to a sandstorm before and couldn't help but keep staring at the swirling sand somewhat in awe. The wind was getting more powerful by the minute and The Postman squinted as he saw a dark shape in the distance. He watched the shape as it moved slowly through the storm and with surprise he realized it was a person.

"Sakon, there's someone in the storm!" he called out.

Sakon couldn't hear him so The Postman shook his shoulder and pointed. The thief gave him a confused look, clearly not seeing anything in the storm and turned away as there was another powerful gust of wind. The Postman looked back towards the person and saw the silhouette was now on the ground, not moving. Letting go of the horse's reins, The Postman knew he had to help before the person was killed from the vicious storm.

The moment he let go, an enormous blast of wind knocked him off his feet and he felt himself rolling and rolling uncontrollably. Dizzy and winded when he finally stopped, The Postman lay still for a long moment trying to get his bearings. He could sense where Sakon was but not the stranger caught in the storm. Remembering the approximate spot they had been, The Postman began slowly and carefully crawling forward, keeping his head bowed to the wind. His progress was slow but after what seemed an eternity, he found a small cloaked figure curled up in the sand.

The Postman gently turned the person over and saw it was a very small Gerudo child about five or six years old. She stared up at him with wide, frightened eyes and The Postman wondered what she was doing so far from the city. Other than her cloak, she had no protection from the storm and The Postman knew she would die if he didn't help her.

Ignoring her struggling, he scooped her up into his arms and did his best to shield her from the wind as he made his way back to Sakon. Sakon didn't even seem to notice he'd left and was still holding on tightly to the reins. He gave Sakon a hard nudge who gave him a flabbergasted look at the sight of the girl. Knowing Sakon couldn't hear him, he simply pointed to where he'd found her, and the thief seemed to understand as he nodded.

The storm was getting even worse and the horse was now starting to get distressed as the full force of the storm hit its side. The Gerudo child had been staring up at The Postman suspiciously but when it was clear he wasn't going to hurt her, she reached out and shook his sleeve. He looked down at her in question so she leaned in to whisper something in his ear. She then pointed out into the storm confidently.

The Postman squinted in the direction she indicated and saw a large rock formation barely visible through the storm. Leaning over, he whispered into Sakon's ear.

"She says there's a cave just over there we can take shelter in."

Sakon glanced down at the little girl and it was clear he was skeptical.

"Come on!" The Postman urged, "The storm's getting worse!"

Sakon gave a nod, trusting The Postman judgement and coaxed the horse to its feet. They had to walk slowly as the wind was getting so fierce it stole their breath away. They kept at the horse's side, getting what little protection they could until they reached the rock formation. They found the cave just as the girl said and entered, finding instant relief from the storm. Both men removed their masks and pushed their goggles up, getting a good look at the cave around them. The cave was very deep and stretched far out of sight and both realized it was a series of tunnels.

"Come on," the girl urged, squirming out of The Postman's hold. "My village is just on the other side!"

"You mean you don't live in the main Gerudo city?" The Postman asked in surprise.

The girl shook her head. "Nope, I live in one of the outer colonies!"

"Do you think word has reached this village about you yet?" Sakon whispered.

The Postman gave a shrug but doubted it very much as they'd only had the encounter with the Gerudos a few hours prior.

"We should make sure she gets home safely." The Postman said, following after the girl.

"Hmm, I hope these Gerudos are a bit more friendly than the ones who want you dead..."

The Postman didn't answer.

The tunnel seemed to shimmer slightly as they passed, the walls obviously enchanted to keep trespassers out. The little Gerudo girl held each of them by the hand, striding forward confidently. By the way the walls kept flickering, The Postman suspected that only a Gerudo could pass through unharmed. He wasn't sure whether it was his own presence or Sakon's, but the tunnel clearly didn't like them being there. He had a feeling that it was because the child held onto them that something terrible didn't happen.

They came to the end of the tunnel within minutes, a blue barrier blocking the end like a wall.

"Don't let go of my hand." the girl instructed. "Mommy says men will blow up if they're not invited."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sakon muttered.

The girl pulled them through the barrier and there was a brief hot tickling sensation across their skin and then they were on the other side. Both men stopped to simply stare at what was before them. No longer were they in the middle of the desert but they were now in a thick jungle with no sand in sight. Dozens of straw huts were before them and the little girl grinned up at them widely.

"This is my village!"

Sakon stared at the jungle and then back at the barrier. "Huh..." was his only comment.

The Postman was studying the huts, wondering where he was, when he caught sight of the local Gerudos for the first time. His eyes widened and he quickly turned his gaze to the ground.

"Um, Sakon?" he said hesitantly.

"What?" Sakon demanded, not glancing over.

"The Gerudos are all naked..."

Sakon spun around so fast he nearly tripped and stared at the several dozen naked women before him. He took a deep breath, a sleazy grin quickly appeared on his face.

"I died in the storm and I've gone to heaven!" he exclaimed.

"MOMMY, I'M BACK!" the little girl bellowed at the top of her lungs. "MOMMY!"

They instantly had the attention of every Gerudo in the village, who grabbed for their weapons at the sight of them. The Postman knew they were about to be viciously slaughtered but he couldn't look up from the ground as the Gerudos charged.

"...their boobs are bouncing with every step." Sakon sighed in appreciation. "I'm about to die, but I think I'm okay with it..."

The small girl held out her hands to her people and they paused only feet away.

"I got lost in the sandstorm," the girl explained. "These men brought me back home."

The Gerudos exchanged looks.

"Where's my daughter?!" a loud voice yelled from the back of the crowd. "Where is she?"

The Postman allowed his eyes to flick up briefly to see an enormously obese Gerudo push her way to the front of the crowd. He quickly averted his eyes again. The Gerudo looked wildly around until her eyes fell on her daughter and she let out a breath of relief. Her expression then turned to one of anger that clearly said 'you are in trouble'.

"Ilara! Where have you been?! Who are these men?"

The girl mirrored The Postman and stared down at the ground, scuffing at the ground with one boot. "I wanted to find my father..." she offered weakly.

There was an instant murmuring among the Gerudo and the girl's mother instantly bristled. "Ilara! You are a Gerudo! It doesn't matter who your father is, only who your mother is! I've told you this, and this nonsense is going to stop right NOW! Go home right this instant and wait for me there!"

Ilara let out a huff of frustration and stomped away through the crowd. Once she was gone, the large Gerudo turned her attention to Sakon and The Postman.

"Who are you?"

Sakon couldn't answer, his attention solely on her watermelon size breasts. The Postman shifted a bit, feeling very uncomfortable and then said.

"I am Jihiro, miss, and this is Sakon. We were travelling when we found your daughter in the storm."

"My daughter was foolish and never should have brought you here. This village is a secret and no man has ever been here before. Give me one good reason I shouldn't slaughter the both of you and steal that horse."

This snapped Sakon out of his trance and he quickly spoke up. "I assure you, we're no threat to you in the least! We both work for Ganondorf! See the mark on his neck? He's Ganondorf's personal messenger and I'm his number one thief!"

All the Gerudos squinted to get a good look at the burn on The Postman's neck and the large Gerudo ran her fingers across it suspiciously.

"Just because you work for our king doesn't mean you are welcome here. This is one of the Gerudo colonies and we abide by our own laws. Men are a threat to our way of life."

"Relax, there won't be any flirting from us! I promise! Jihiro is as gay as spring! He hasn't once looked over at those two lesbians making out under the tree over there!"

"Sakon!"

The Gerudo eyed The Postman a long moment, noting his averted eyes and the flush of embarrassment on his face.

"Are you gay too?" she demanded to Sakon.

Sakon gave her a nod, his eyes having travelled back to her breasts. "Yup, totally gay, women are icky and very unattractive. I'm the gayest of the gay. I puke rainbows I'm so gay. Me and Jihiro are gay together, so you don't have to worry."

"SAKON!" The Postman cried, slapping both hands to his face, certain he was going to die from embarrassment.

The Gerudo woman raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms skeptically. "Are you staring at my breasts?" she demanded.

Sakon glanced up. "Um...I was just comparing them to man-boobs."

"Hmm, right." she replied suspiciously.

The Postman stepped forward and finally looked up, keeping his gaze carefully above the neck. "We're just travelling, miss, and really mean you no harm. You have my word that we will never tell a soul about this village and will act with the utmost respect towards the Gerudos."

The Gerudo studied him a long moment and then rolled her eyes. "Fine, I won't kill you, but you two have to leave once the sandstorm is over."

"Yes, miss."

"I am Ilarana, chief of this village."

"You named your daughter after yourself?" Sakon demanded. "Bit of an ego, don't ya think?"

When Ilarana gave him a withering look, Sakon quickly backpedalled. "Er, I mean, what a wonderful name you have!"

"I'm keeping an eye on you." she snapped.

Sakon gave her a perfect imitation of The Postman's postal salute.

"We will be celebrating the end of harvest, so you're welcome to join us in the celebrations. Keep in mind, however, if I hear even one complaint from my people, I'll gut you like a boar!"

Both The Postman and Sakon nodded wordlessly.

Seemingly satisfied, Ilarana turned and stalked away. The moment she was out of earshot, Sakon leaned in to The Postman's ear.

"I got dibs on the 400 pound beauty."

"**He's a moron**." Ichiro commented out of nowhere.

The Postman could only sigh.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy!**


	12. The Harvest Festival

**Authornote:**

**Hello everyone! At least it wasn't a month between updates this time! lol I'll try to be a bit faster with the next chapter, I promise.**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**thisplaceilove**

**Nocturne of Eclipse**

**Light Sakura**

**Mira Moonshine**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

The Harvest Festival

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The Postman gave a long, lazy stretch as he watched some unidentifiable creature being roasted for the feast. He couldn't tell if it was mammal or reptile, but whatever it was, it was enormous. He hoped it had been dead before they put it on the fire, but he knew with Gerudos, it was iffy.

The entire village was gathered around the bonfire, eagerly awaiting the food to be finished. Although there were several performances and activities going on, The Postman made sure to keep his gaze either on the ground or on the fire. Sakon, however, was eagerly taking part in everything, seemingly enjoying himself greatly despite losing every game he took part in. None of the Gerudos seemed to like him, but they were tolerating him since he wasn't touching them or giving them reason to complain. There was something in the way he looked at them and the way he smiled, however, that made them edgy and uncomfortable. They'd heard his declaration of being gay, but as the night wore on, they were beginning to doubt it. His eyes always seemed to linger in inappropriate places far too long to be simple curiosity.

When the night began to cool, the Gerudos put on cloaks much to The Postman's relief and he finally looked up. Sakon seemed disappointed at this turn of events, and plunked himself down beside The Postman with a frown.

"Awww, it's not that cold!" he complained.

"Please stop perving on the Gerudos, Sakon. You're being way too obvious."

Sakon gave him a grin. "Naw. They won't notice. Gerudos don't have too much going on upstairs if you know what I mean."

Sakon let out a startled yelp when a metal platter was slammed down on his head from above. Looking up from his position on the ground, he saw a Gerudo holding a large platter of meat.

"Ow!" he complained. "What was that for?!"

Not even looking at the thief, the Gerudo held out the platter to The Postman.

"Meat?" she asked.

The Postman gave a nod and took what he hoped was a poultry leg of some sort. Sakon immediately crinkled his nose at him in disgust.

"Ew, you're actually going to eat that?" he demanded.

"I'm not a vegetarian." The Postman replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, but it's gross! You're really going to gnaw on a giant hunk of meat?"

"Eating meat creates strength!" the Gerudo admonished. "It is the staple of any Gerudos diet!"

"I thought this was a harvest party?" Sakon questioned, still sprawled on the ground. "Where's all the produce?"

The Gerudo gave him a look of contempt. "Fruits and vegetables are a sidedish to the main portion of the meal. If you wish to eat like a rabbit, then don't be surprised if you end up hunted."

"That doesn't even make sense." Sakon pointed out. "Unless you've all suddenly become cannibals, then you're talking out of your ass."

"Sakon, shut up." The Postman warned as the Gerudo narrowed her eyes.

Sakon saw the Gerudo reaching for her dagger so he gave a quick nod. "...'Kay. I'll just go be a rabbit..."

The Gerudo stared at him a long moment, but did release her hand from the dagger. "Our harvest is on the main table near the wine." she stated, turning away without another word.

Sakon's eyes immediately lit up, and he rolled to his feet. "Wine!" he cheered, heading for the table.

The Postman remembered the last time Sakon had gotten himself drunk was at Skyloft, where he'd robbed the people blind and ended up in bed with an equally drunk girl. Hoping he had a bit more sense this time, The Postman watched him as he drank glass after glass of a deep red wine.

"Tell me, what are you two really up to?"

The Postman visibly jumped at the unexpected voice and looked over. He saw the chief, Ilarana sitting beside him, eating an enormous pile of meat. He hadn't even heard her approach let alone sit beside him on the bench.

"Ma'am?"

"You have the mark of Ganondorf which means you can be trusted, but I'm not so sure about him." she stated, indicating Sakon. "He reeks of sneakiness."

"Well, he is a thief." The Postman pointed out.

Ilarana chewed a moment as she considered that. "Fair enough, but there's something about him that I just don't trust."

"He gets that a lot." The Postman replied. "We're no threat to your people, we're travelling to find answers about something."

Ilarana's interest was piqued. "Oh? Answers about what?"

Ichiro's voice suddenly interrupted. "**Don't tell her a thing**!" he ordered. "**Desert rats can't be trusted and your mission is too important to take unnecessary risks**."

"_I won't lie._" The Postman thought back. "_Lying causes more problems than to simply tell the truth_."

"**And what if they decide they won't permit you to continue your quest? What if they kill you? Don't be so naive**!"

"_The Gerudos have no reason to stop me if my quest is no threat to them_." The Postman answered, absolutely certain of this. With all the time he'd spent around Gerudos, he knew their interests to be purely selfish. If they had nothing to gain and he was no threat, then they'd simply ignore him.

"**_Desert rats are always a threat_**."

"_Do you realize calling a Gerudo a 'desert rat' is racist?_" The Postman demanded.

Ichiro didn't answer, although The Postman could feel his annoyance clearly.

Ilarana gave him a hard nudge with her elbow which almost knocked him off the bench. "I asked you a question."

The Postman paused for a second and then asked. "What do you know of the race called the Hunters?"

Ilarana froze, piece of meat halfway to her mouth. Slowly she set it down on her plate. "Why?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

The Postman gauged her reaction and then replied. "A man has been trying to kill me and I believe that he's a Hunter."

Ilarana hesitated a long moment. "Explain."

"Every clue I find, every path leads to me to believe he's a Hunter. He's already killed most of my cousins the same age as me, and he clearly is exceptional at tracking. He says that I'm a monster and that he'll find me and kill me."

"Hunter's can find anyone, anywhere." Ilarana stated. "If he was really a Hunter, then you'd already be dead."

The Postman shook his head. "He doesn't know my name or what I look like. Without knowing who I am, he can't find me."

"I thought you said he threatened to kill you? How could he do that without ever meeting you?"

"He's been sort of haunting my dreams." The Postman said, knowing how crazy everything seemed.

Ilarana seemed thoughtful a moment. "What makes you so special? Why does he want you dead?"

"He says that I'm a dangerous monster that he has to destroy."

Ilarana looked The Postman's thin form up and down and then raised an eyebrow. "You don't look dangerous." her gaze settled on the mark on his neck. "Although you are part of the Gerudo clan...hmmm."

"What do you know of the Hunters?" The Postman asked.

"Our clan fought them many years ago." Ilarana began. "There were four races in the outer regions where my clan was originally from. There were the Gerudo of the jungle, the Star Clan of the desert, the humans of the valley and the Hunters of the mountains."

"Star clan?" The Postman questioned. "I've never heard of them."

"They were a gentle people of magic and sight." Ilarana explained. "They mostly kept to themselves."

"Were?"

"They died in the great war." Ilarana stated. "The Hunters were causing more and more problems for the humans who had very little way of defence. They were being pillaged and hunted on a regular basis and had no real way to defend themselves against it.

The Hunters were a violent and corrupt race that took what they wanted and were often hired to kill people. The gentle Star Clan took pity on the humans and began to aid them. The fighting became even more violent at the resistance and we Gerudos ignored the problem until it was brought to us. The Hunters attacked my people during the night and killed a great number of my clan. My people responded viciously and with our help, the Hunters were defeated. The Star Clan however, weren't fighters and were killed during the last battle. My people took it upon ourselves to wipe out all remaining Hunters until they were all gone for good."

"Do you know the legend of the Hunter? The one in storybooks?" The Postman asked.

"The legend where a Hunter vowed to come back and kill us all?"

The Postman nodded.

"I have, but it seems more likely that a few Hunters survived than to believe they rose from the dead."

The Postman saw the sense in that. "My brother has been kidnapped, and is being held against his will. I think it might be a Hunter that is trying to kill me, and who took my brother. He may have mistaken Ichiro for me. Do you know where the Hunters were originally from? Where I would go to look?"

Ilarana nodded. "Although my clan moved long ago, I know where they came from. The easiest and fastest way is to continue through this jungle until you come to the forbidden zone. That way you bypass the desert and cut at least two days walking from your journey. After a few days of crossing the Forbidden Zone, you'll see many mountains in the distance. Head for the mountains that look like a fork and you'll find the humans who live there. They should be able to help you further."

"Thank you, miss." The Postman said politely. "We'll leave first thing in the morning."

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU DIRTY WEASEL!"

Both turned to look as Sakon let out a very unmanly shriek and ducked as a Gerudo swung a machete at his head. Sakon fled, still yelling as the Gerudo pursued, machete raised for the kill. They watched as Sakon zigzagged around the houses, with the furious Gerudo directly on his tail. Ilarana then glanced at The Postman who rubbed at the bridge of his nose with an exasperated sigh.

"JIIIIIHIIIROOOO!" Sakon bellowed. "SHE'S GONNA KILL MEEE! HELP!"

The Postman let out another sigh and slowly got to his feet. Ilarana grabbed onto his wrist and yanked him back down.

"Oh no you don't! I'm watching this!"

"Miss, he's about to be decapitated."

"He works for Ganondorf; if he can't even dodge a machete, then what good is he?"

"I have a feeling he's extremely drunk and not at all up to his usual standard." The Postman replied. "It's not a fair fight."

Ilarana let out an annoyed huff. "Fine." she relented. "Afsana! Leave him!"

The Gerudo with the machete paused and gave her an absolutely sour look. "He deserves it!" she yelled back.

"No doubt, but he's drunk. Wait until he sobers up before you stab him." she called back.

Afsana gave a furious curse and threw the machete in the general direction of Sakon and then stomped off in a huff. Sakon peeked out from behind a house and when he saw the coast was clear, made his way over to The Postman.

Ilarana gave Sakon a dark, angry look. "What did you do?" she demanded.

"Nothing at all!" Sakon exclaimed, his words slurred. "She's crazy!"

"Sakon, your pants are undone." The Postman pointed out.

Sakon glanced down and quickly buckled his pants. "Oh! How did that happen?" he asked innocently. "Silly pants."

Ilarana's eyes narrowed and she looked at The Postman. "Are you sure he's gay?"

"Course I am!" Sakon answered, throwing his arm around The Postman's shoulders. "Can't you tell how much we love each other?"

The Postman pushed him away. "Sakon, go to bed, you're drunk."

"Naw, the party's just beginning! I heard someone say there's going to be some sort of special dance thing."

"That's the dance of Nishkob." Ilarana informed them. "It's very special and happens just once a year."

"See! It's special!" Sakon stated. "This calls for more wine!"

"Sakon!"

He was too late however, as Sakon ran off into the crowd. Ilarana shook her head and before she wandered off, gave him one final piece of advice. "That idiot is going to get you killed on your journey. I suggest leaving him behind."

**"I would agree with the desert rat, but unfortunately, we need the thief later on for something**."

"_You aren't planning on using him to feed a dragon or something, are you?_"

"**I wish**."

"_You're a very cynical person, you know that? You don't like anyone!_"

"**People can't be trusted**." Ichiro replied. **"Everyone stabs you in the back eventually when it suits them. You're the only one I can trust in this.**"

"_And why do you trust me?_" The Postman inquired. "_We've never even met_."

"**We share the same blood**." Ichiro stated. "**I know your every thought and feeling and I know you can be trusted.**"

"_I really wish you'd stop poking around in my head like that_."

"**That's not going to happen**."

"Hey, darling, I got you some wine!"

The Postman looked up at Sakon who held out a goblet to him, large grin in place. "I watered it down a lot so it should be perfect for you!"

The Postman was about to refuse the wine, but paused when he thought about how horrible his life had been for the past few months. He took the goblet and Sakon plunked himself down beside him.

"The dancing's about to start! I hope they're naked!"

The Postman didn't answer, instead gulping down half the wine. Most Gerudos were now taking seats around the fire, chatting excitedly as the dancers took their places. The dancers were dressed in clothing of bright, vibrant colours, their weapons polished to a gleam which hung loosely from their belts. Every Gerudo was beautiful, their red hair and golden eyes vivid even in the darkness.

As the drums began, the dancers began their slow, fluid movements. Everyone watched, completely mesmerised as they turned and wove around one another, seeming as if their feet weren't even touching the ground. The drumming increased and instantly the dancers sped up to the point where they were nothing but a blur of colour and graceful limbs. They leapt through the fire, the sparks and smoke swirling around them as they landed nimbly on their feet. The crowd cheered and Sakon jumped to his feet excitedly.

"I'm gonna join in!" he exclaimed.

"No!" The Postman cried grabbing at Sakon's arm in alarm.

Sakon was out of his reach in an instant and to The Postman's horror, the thief joined in with the dancers. The crowd simply stared at Sakon and the dancers paused to watch as he danced all by himself around the fire out of tune with the beat of the drums. The dancers then shrugged and continued on as if he weren't there, simply dancing around him.

"We're dead, we're dead, we're dead." The Postman muttered to himself as he watched Sakon make a complete fool of himself.

"**I suggest you run while they're distracted**."

Sakon did his best to imitate the dancers in what they were doing, but he was both very drunk and not at all graceful. Each dancer took a coloured scarf from the chief and the air was a swirl of rainbow as the dancers wove around each other, hands in the air. Sakon took a scarf as well and followed suit, leaping and spinning himself madly about in no particular pattern. As the dancers tied their scarves around arms of the audience members, Sakon approached The Postman.

Giving The Postman a flushed and happy grin, Sakon tied the scarf around his arm and then pranced away before The Postman had time to grab a hold of him. The Postman downed the rest of his wine and then reached for Sakon's which had been left behind.

The drumming reached all new speeds and the dancers began flipping and leaping to the beat, their every movement beautiful and calculated. The dancers now took wreaths of Deku flowers from the chief and placed them on their heads as they continued their dance. Sakon took a wreath and followed suit, his dancing becoming increasingly awkward and clumsy as he began feeling the full effects of the wine. The dancers sprung through the fire and then placed the wreaths on the heads of the same spectators they'd given the scarves to. Sakon tried to jump over the bonfire as well, caught his pant-leg on fire and then limped over to The Postman while still smoldering. He tossed the slightly singed wreath onto The Postman's head and then joined the dancers in the final act of the dance.

The Postman could feel many, many Gerudos staring at him and felt embarrassed on Sakon's behalf. Sakon had ruined their once-a-year celebration and he wouldn't doubt it if the Gerudos wanted Sakon killed. He downed Sakon's goblet of wine, wincing at the strong taste, and let out a long sigh, forgetting that he had a wreath of flowers on his head.

The dancers all joined hands as the drumming began to slow and Sakon shoved himself in the centre to be included. The dancers took his hands as well and when the music finally stopped, they all gave a low bow. Sakon was soaked in sweat from all the activity but his grin was bright, and he was clearly proud of himself as he left the clearing to head back to the wine table.

The Postman was feeling the effects of the wine himself and was getting rather light-headed. The wine had calmed him down however, and he didn't even bat an eye when Ilarana approached him.

"I'm sorry Sakon ruined the dance." he apologized. "He's an idiot."

She gave him a really long, curious look and then said.

"Congratulations."

The Postman rubbed at his eyes. "On what?"

Ilarana cocked her head. "On your marriage."

The Postman was instantly at attention. "What?!"

"During the dance of Nishkob, you accepted the offering of the scarf and wreath. Didn't you know that was a dance of union?"

"WHAT?!"

Ilarana seemed a bit too amused. "Congratulations, you're now married."

The Postman sat in stunned silence as his drunken mind tried to make sense of that. He knocked the wreath to the ground as he stood to his feet and instantly felt complete rage as he scanned the crowd for the thief. Clenching his fists tightly, he let out a booming yell across the village.

"SAKON!"

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**Reviews Make The Author Happy!**


	13. The Postman's Past

**Authornote:**

**Ugh, so sorry for the super slow update again, guys! I'm sick once AGAIN and didn't have time to do much writing. I'll try very hard to update faster this time! Okay, a little bit of an explanation for this chapter. As you can tell by the title, this chapter delves in a little bit about The Postman's past. This isn't just random stuff i'm throwing at you and WILL serve a purpose, i promise!**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**ChaosWielder **

**thisplaceilove **

**The Empty Lord **

**Nocturne of Eclipse **

**Light Sakura **

**Mira Moonshine **

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

The Postman's Past

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The Postman had the attention of the entire village as he stormed towards the wine table angrily. He looked one way and then the other but there was no sign of Sakon. The Postman could sense him nearby, but he couldn't see him anywhere. Turning to a Gerudo standing nearby, he demanded.

"Where is he?"

Without a word, she pointed towards the wine table. It was then that The Postman noticed legs sticking out from underneath. Pulling aside the tablecloth, he saw Sakon clutching a bottle to his chest, passed out in a puddle of what he hoped was wine. He gave the thief a hard nudge with his foot but there was no reaction. Furious, he gave Sakon a harder kick to no avail.

"Our wine is very strong." Ilarana spoke up from beside him. "You're not going to be able to wake him."

"I want a divorce."

Ilarana gave him a sympathetic look. "I know you didn't plan on spending your wedding night alone, but a divorce is a bit of an over-reaction, isn't it?"

The Postman crossed his arms angrily. "That is not the reason I want a divorce!"

Ilarana rolled her eyes but gave a nod. "Very well. It is your decision to make."

The Postman was quite surprised when she placed a machete into his hand.

"Go ahead, but try not to get blood on the tablecloth."

The Postman simply stared at the blade. "...what?"

"You said you wanted a divorce, didn't you?" she demanded impatiently.

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then what are you waiting for? Kill him."

The Postman's eyes widened. "What?! Kill him?!"

Ilarana let out a sigh. "The only way to get out of a Gerudo marriage is for one partner to kill the other. Gerudos are expected to work out any differences and to only request divorce as a last resort."

The Postman looked down at Sakon who was snoring loudly, completely unaware of what was going on.

"...but I don't want to kill him, I only want the marriage annulled..."

"That is not the way things are done here. If you didn't want to marry him, then you shouldn't have accepted his advances!" Ilarana scolded.

"I didn't know that's what was happening!" The Postman protested. "I didn't know I was getting married!"

"You're a Gerudo, you should have known better." Ilarana scoffed. "Maybe this will teach you to be a little more observant."

"I wasn't born a Gerudo you know." The Postman grumbled. "Ganondorf decided that one on his own."

"Although our king leaves our tribe to care for themselves, he is wise and made you part of the clan for a reason. Don't disrespect the honour he bestowed on you."

The Postman was very tempted to argue that but knew there was no point. He let out an irritated huff and handed her back the machete. He certainly didn't want to be married but he wasn't going to kill Sakon just to get out of it. He'd find another way out of it.

Ilarana had suspected he wouldn't go through with it and gave him a smirk. "Give me your hand a moment." she ordered.

The Postman was instantly suspicious. "Why?"

This answer seemed to please her and she shook her head in amusement. "At least you seem to have some self-preservation. You'll give me your hand because I, the chief of this village, have ordered you to."

The Postman hesitated a moment, but figured nothing could make his day any worse, so he held out his right hand to her. To his dismay, she slipped a ring over one of his fingers which bore the mark of the desert.

"Is this a wedding band?" he questioned.

"Of course. This is so all the other nations know of your union." she replied, kneeling down next to Sakon.

The Postman immediately tried to pull off the ring but it wouldn't budge. Ilarana glanced up at him as she placed an identical ring on Sakon's finger.

"It can never be removed unless you cut off your finger." she stated. "Only Ganondorf himself can remove it if he decides to annul your union."

The Postman's shoulders slumped. "You mean the only way I can get out of this marriage is to either kill Sakon or go see Ganondorf?"

Ilarana nodded.

"Great. Just great." The Postman muttered. "I might as well give up on that notion then."

"Stop sulking like a child." Ilarana scolded, turning away. "Since your husband is indisposed, come drink with us for a while. It will help you forget your troubles."

The Postman gave Sakon another glare. "That will take a lot of wine."

"Then it's a good thing we have a lot." Ilarana responded. "Come."

The Postman gave Sakon another glare and then let out a heavy, resigned sigh.

"**Congratulations. I'm sure you'll be very happy and spend many euphoric years together**.**"** Ichiro teased with a laugh.

"_Shut up."_ The Postman mentally growled.

Turning to follow Ilarana, The Postman had the feeling things would only get more complicated from there.

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The Postman regretted the wine the moment he passed out on the floor. His dreams were once again in the empty field, the weather and temperature perfect. He could sense someone watching him but he was completely alone as far as he could tell. Hoping the goddess was keeping the man in the cloak at bay, he took a seat next to the lake to wait it out. He could feel a strange sort of heaviness around him like he was being held in the dream and wondered if it was because his physical body was drunk. He just hoped he'd be able to wake up if he needed to. Tossing a stone into the crystal clear water, he didn't notice the shadow that fell over him.

"**Hey**." an unexpected voice said from behind him, causing him to jump.

Turning his head so fast he nearly got whiplash, The Postman was shocked to see his double standing before him. He blinked and then inspected more closely. No, the man wasn't exactly like him, there were slight differences. The man was several inches taller and was covered in the scars of battle, his muscles hard and his eyes intense. He wore armour made from dragon's hide and a very familiar sword was attached to his belt. He gave The Postman a confident smirk, crossing his arms as he took in the other man's reaction.

"Ichiro?!" The Postman cried.

Ichiro nodded. "**At last we meet face to face**."

The Postman simply stared in surprise. So, he wasn't adopted! Ichiro and he were twins! Why didn't he think of that before?! Twins ran in his family; there were two sets in his immediate family alone!

Ichiro cocked an eyebrow. "**What**?" he demanded.

"I thought I was adopted." The Postman admitted.

Ichiro let out a snort. "**Don't be stupid, of ****course**** you're not adopted**."

Ichiro plunked himself down next to The Postman and gave a long, lazy stretch. "**You need to work out more, you look like a stick**." he commented.

"I was a postman; I didn't really need to be musclebound." The Postman replied.

"**You were spoiled and pampered**." Ichiro stated. "**It made you weak and much too docile.**"

The Postman was instantly offended. "I most certainly was not spoiled!" he protested.

"**From the day I was born, I had to fight for everything I had. Nothing ever came easy for me, unlike you**." Ichiro told him. "**My hardships made me strong and smart**."

The Postman frowned. "Why were we separated? Where were you taken and why? What exactly is our destinies?"

Ichiro's gaze darkened and he looked away. "**It is not time to speak of this**." he answered.

"Why?"

"**Leave it."**

"But-"

"**No**."

The Postman let out a sigh. "If you expect me to help you, you have to start telling me things."

Angry brown eyes flicked over to him. "**No, I don't**."

"You're stubborn." The Postman stated in annoyance. "And not in a good way."

"**So are you**." Ichiro shot back.

The Postman stared out across the lake for a moment, trying to come up with a reasonable response. Finally, he turned and met Ichiro's eyes directly.

"I will tell you something." he stated seriously. "Something no one else knows about me. Something I've kept secret for 18 years."

Ichiro gave him a skeptical look.

"You're not the only one who didn't have the ideal childhood." The Postman told him. "I am going to tell you my secret and then I want to know yours. This whole quest depends on the both of us so we need to work together."

"**Pfft**."

"This is serious and I'm showing you a lot of trust by telling this to you. I've told no one and have no intention of telling anyone else."

"**What kind of trauma could you possibly have had being a spoiled little postman**?" Ichiro demanded. ** "Did someone steal your teddy when you were five?"**

"I was not spoilt.' The Postman snapped, not appreciating the arrogance. "You know nothing."

Ichiro rolled his eyes and leaned back on the grass. **"Fine, then enlighten me, oh traumatised one! Tell me this big 'secret' of yours."**

"I will explain." The Postman told him, averting his gaze to the lake once again. "I was a bad kid. I got into a lot of trouble when I was a child and I now admit that I was completely out of control. My parents didn't know how to control me, so they sent me away to live with my uncle for rehabilitation."

Ichiro sat up and narrowed his eyes. "**Rehabilitation?**" he questioned suspiciously.

The Postman nodded hesitantly. "My uncle was a prison warden in Hyrule, and my parents thought if I spent a few months with him, he'd scare me straight. He wasn't a blood relative, but had married my aunt who had died in childbirth after only two years of marriage. Although I didn't know him very well, he absolutely hated me. I had pulled a prank on him involving honey and several hundred wasps when I was eight, and he never forgave me."

"**What happened**?" Ichiro demanded.

The Postman kicked a few stones into the water and paused before replying. "He locked me in the basement of his house where no one would be able to hear me. I was shackled to the wall under the stairs where there was no light at all. The only time I saw light was when my uncle came down to 'visit' me. He beat me continuously every day for months and starved me almost to the point of death."

Ichiro stared at him in disbelief. "**What?**"

"All I knew was pain and darkness for what seemed an eternity. He told me over and over that he was doing it for the good of our family and that I would embarrass them no longer. At first I was defiant and had the notion I'd escape, but as time went on, I stopped crying and begging and I even stopped trying to get out of the shackles. With all the pain and helplessness I felt, I never thought I'd see the outside world again."

"**Are you joking**?" Ichiro demanded suspiciously. "**Is this whole story a pile of bullshit**?"

The Postman shook his head and continued. "I gave up on everything after a while and prayed for the goddesses to kill me or rescue me every single day, hoping to avoid his next visit. They ignored my prayers and no one came to help me.

One day, my uncle came down to see me and I expected to feel his fists, but instead he unlocked the shackles and carried me upstairs. He cleaned me up, gave me new clothes to wear and fed me real food. It seems ridiculous now, but at the time, I felt like I was getting the best reward of my life. My parents picked me up the next day to take me home."

Ichiro's gaze was dark as he asked. "**They didn't notice your condition**?"

The Postman shook his head. "My uncle had told them I'd been very ill and by my gaunt appearance, it wasn't hard to believe. I looked sick, deathly sick."

"**What about the injuries**?"

Again The Postman shook his head. "My uncle used a fairy on me which cured the physical injuries but not the starvation. My parents had no way of knowing. As far as they knew, my uncle had been simply working with me on my behaviour."

"**Why didn't you tell them**?" Ichiro demanded, angrily. "**Why didn't you kill this man for what he did**?"

"I couldn't. It was too horrible to speak of and I was in complete terror that they would send me back to him if I angered them. I was the perfect son from that point on; I did as I was told and never caused any trouble. I stopped being friends with Sakon and the other village children and instead focussed entirely on my education. I grew up and put it all behind me."

"**You allowed him to break you**." Ichiro accused. "**How old were you when all this happened?**"

"I was twelve."

Ichiro looked him up and down with a pronounced frown. "**Your growth was stunted because of it. I'm taller than you.**"

The Postman gave a nod. "As I said, you're not the only one that didn't have an ideal childhood. We may have trauma in our lives, but that doesn't mean we can't overcome it. Tell me what I need to know."

"**You didn't get over it.**" Ichiro challenged. "**You bent like a piece of straw.**"

The Postman ignored the comment. "I trusted you, now I want you to trust me. Tell me about your past."

"**Is this why you're such a doormat for everyone**?"

"I'm not a doormat!"

"**You were going to let an entire army of Gerudos trample you**." Ichiro pointed out.

Changing the subject, The Postman asked. "Will you tell me now?"

"**I don't trust easily, but since it's you...fine**," Ichiro relented. "**If you really insist, I'll tell you what you want to know." **

"Thank you."

Ichiro gave a nod and adjusted himself more comfortably. "**Everything's quite complicated, so you'll have to bear with me. It's quite a long story.**"

"That's fine." The Postman assured him.

"**Okay**," Ichiro said, kicking a few more stones into the water. "**It all started**-"

"YOU HORRIBLE SLUTS! YOU GOT HIM DRUNK AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIM!"

The Postman woke with a start, Ichiro and his dream melting away.

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Sakon awoke, feeling sweaty, wet and extremely hung over. Used to having such mornings, he pulled the almost empty bottle of wine towards himself and downed it without even sitting up. Waiting a few minutes for the pain in his temples to recede, he glanced around himself and saw he was sprawled under a table. Only vaguely remembering the night before, he sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

"That was good wine..." he commented to himself, reaching for one of the remaining bottles on the table.

His eyes fell on the ring Ilarana had placed on his hand and he squinted down at it in confusion.

"Who did I steal this thing from?" he wondered out loud. "It's not even gold!"

Attempting to pull it off, he was confused when it didn't budge. Spitting on his hand for lubrication, he gave it another yank but it still didn't move.

"Huh. My fingers must be swollen..."

Taking a swig of wine from the bottle he'd just stolen, he lost interest in the ring and decided to seek out The Postman. No one was around at all so he stuffed a couple bottles of wine in his shirt, hoping he could smuggle it out without anyone noticing. Clinking as he walked, he began peering into cottages, trying to be as quiet as possible. Gerudos were grouchy the best of times so he didn't want to get beheaded for waking anyone up. He found no sign of The Postman in any of the cottages, so he headed for the larger building he assumed belonged to the chief.

Sakon pushed aside the curtain in the doorway and poked his head in, ready to retreat if necessary. What he saw made him pause for a long moment as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Laying on the floor in the centre of the cottage were six or seven naked Gerudos with The Postman sprawled in the middle. All were fast asleep and snoring, one of the Gerudos with her arm around The Postman's torso, empty bottles all around. Sakon stared first in surprise, then disbelief and then in anger.

"YOU HORRIBLE SLUTS!" he yelled, storming in. "YOU GOT HIM DRUNK AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIM!"

The Gerudos and The Postman woke with a start and instantly every Gerudo were on their feet reaching for whatever weapon was closest. The Postman remained seated on the floor, not quite awake, staring up at Sakon in confusion. When the Gerudos removed themselves from the floor, Sakon saw The Postman was still fully clothed and instantly realized he was VERY mistaken in his assumptions.

"Oh, um...uh, sorry..." he said to the VERY angry looking Gerudos. "My mistake..."

Ilarana rubbed at her eyes irritably and motioned for the Gerudos to stand down. "It is fine, he was simply protecting his husbands virtue."

"My what?" Sakon asked, not sure he'd heard correctly. It was then that he noticed the look of death The Postman was shooting his way. "Whoa! Hello to you too! What did I do to deserve that look?"

The Postman didn't answer, his expression growing even more angry. Sakon's eyes widened and he took a step back in alarm.

"What did I do? Did I steal something? Did I insult you? What?"

Sakon glanced down at the ring on his hand. "Does this belong to you? Is it like your special virgin ring or something? You can have it back if you want. I left that club a long time ago."

Ilarana glanced at The Postman. "You're a virgin?"

The Postman slowly stood to his feet, the look he was giving Sakon completely murderous. Sakon quickly backed away out the door and peered in from the safety of outside.

"You're not going to tell me what I did?" Sakon complained. "What is with you and giving me the silent treatment when you're mad? You should use your words, darling."

"You did it on purpose, didn't you!" The Postman accused. "You did it just so you could make fun of me!"

"It's a possibility." Sakon admitted. "Now what are we talking about?"

The Postman narrowed his eyes to slits. "You tricked me into marrying you!"

Sakon blinked in confusion and cocked his head to one side. "...eh?"

The Postman stomped a few feet closer to him, angrily. "And you interrupted a very important dream! I was about to find out what happened to Ichiro!"

"What do you mean I married you?!" Sakon demanded. "What are you talking about?!"

"That stupid dance you did with the Gerudos last night was a dance of union! You married me!"

Sakon could only vaguely remember the night before and scratched at his head. "I don't do marriage, darling. It's against my principles."

"You don't have any principles!" The Postman snapped. "And you are going to find a way out of this marriage!"

Sakon looked down at the ring on his hand. "So, this is a wedding band?"

"Yes."

"Huh. If we get divorced, does that mean I get half your stuff?"

The Postman narrowed his eyes and Sakon quickly disappeared out of the cottage.

"Gotta pee, be right back!" he called, as he fled away from the enraged postman. The Postman let out a huff of irritation.

"_Ichiro? Are you there_?" he thought towards where he could feel his brother's presence. "_You said you were going to tell me what happened to you_. _Ichiro_?"

There was no response.

The Postman let out a heavy sigh and rubbed at his temples. Ilarana gave him a curious look and then said. "You two should leave this morning." she suggested. "Last night you were guests, but today you are trespassers."

The Postman understood the Gerudo way of thinking and nodded. "We'll leave right away."

"If you take the shortcut through the jungle that I mentioned last night, you'll need to be cautious."

"Why?"

"There is a large group of thieves that live there and they will kill you if they come across you. They work for no one but themselves so your association with Ganondorf will not help you. Have your sword ready and don't do anything stupid."

The Postman gave a nod. "Thank you for the warning."

The Postman found Sakon saddling the horse and when the thief saw him, he gave him an uncertain look.

"Sorry I accidentally married you."

The Postman didn't answer, instead taking the horse's reins and heading towards the jungle. Sakon quickly hurried after him, knowing it was going to be a very long, awkward day. Determined to at least get some reaction, Sakon gave him a cheeky grin.

"I left all the toilet seats up in the village and stole all their wine. We probably shouldn't stick around for when the rest of the Gerudos wake up..."

The Postman let out a sigh when there came an angry yell of disgust from somewhere in the village.

"Oh, and I may or may not have had bad aim..."

The Postman sped up and they disappeared into the jungle as fast as possible.

High above them, an owl circled the jungle, watching closely, and waiting for the right moment to make his appearance.

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**Reviews Make The Author Happy!**


	14. Thieves

**Authornote:**

**Ugh, so sorry for the super slow update again, guys! It seems like this is becoming a habit for me...I promise i'll try to be faster for the next one!**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**ChaosWielder**

**ChocolateMilkLOL**

**thisplaceilove**

**Light Sakura**

**Mira Moonshine**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

Thieves

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The jungle was dark, dense and incredibly damp. They could hear loud guttural snarls resounding from somewhere deep within the forest, and both had the sensation of being watched. There was no signs of anyone but they knew that meant nothing when the gods were involved.

Sakon sliced a path for them with The Postman's sword, but it was hard work and very slow-going. The Postman didn't even offer to help, still mad at him and content to allow Sakon to do all the manual labour. Sakon was stubborn and refused to ask for help, even when his arms began to get sore. He stated it was 'man's work' and he'd take care of it. The Postman had simply rolled his eyes and allowed Sakon to hack at the foliage to his hearts content.

The thick leaves and vines of the jungle reminded The Postman of Termina's shrine, and he couldn't help but feel on edge, the deeper they went. He hadn't heard a word from Ichiro since the dream and he wondered if something bad had happened. He could still feel his brother's presence buzzing in his mind, but Ichiro didn't make a sound. He still had no idea where Ichiro actually was or what sort of danger his brother was in.

Sakon paused a second to wipe the sweat from his brow and frowned back at The Postman who was pointedly looking the other way.

"Are you going to do this all day?" Sakon demanded.

The Postman pretended he was busy cleaning dirt from beneath his nails and didn't answer.

"Is this what you're going to do every time you're mad at me?"

The Postman said nothing.

Sakon threw his hands into the air in frustration, accidentally tossing the sword aside. "For Termina's sake, Jihiro! It was a mistake, okay? A mistake!"

The Postman gave him a glare.

Sakon furrowed his brow and then grabbed a hold of his wedding band in an attempt to yank it off. It still wouldn't budge.

"No one has to know." Sakon assured him. "Once I get this stupid ring off, no one will know we were married!"

"You can't take it off." The Postman informed him.

Sakon stopped pulling on the ring. "Eh? Why not? I thought you didn't want to be married to me? Did you change your mind or something?!"

"The ring is magic. If you want to remove it, you have to cut off your finger."

Sakon's eyes widened. "...cut it off?"

As a thief, his most valuable possessions were his hands. A thief without good hands was useless and would never make it in the world. To cut off a finger could mean the difference between life and death for him.

"Only Ganondorf can remove the rings and annul the marriage."

Sakon thought about that for a moment. "Well, I guess that means I'm going to remain a married man." he informed him. "So, are you going to be moving in my cave with me? It's kinda messy and smells like cheese, but it's home."

The Postman couldn't tell if Sakon was joking or not and let out a huff of irritation.

"I don't think this is funny.' he snapped. "Marriage is supposed to be sacred and-"

"HOOT!"

Sakon gave him an odd look. "Sacred and hoot? What is that, slang for sex or something?"

"HOO HOOT!"

Both men looked up as Kaepora Gaebora swooped down from a nearby treetop and handed just in front of them.

"Ohhh, it was the stupid pigeon!" Sakon exclaimed. "That makes more sense."

"Greetings hero." Kaepora Gaebora stated respectfully to The Postman, giving a slight nod of his head. "How goes the quest thus far?"

The Postman stepped forward, his frustration clearly showing on his face.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing." The Postman answered truthfully. "Everyone is being very vague about this quest."

"They're being unhelpful asses." Sakon piped in.

"Worry not, hoo, everything will become clear shortly. Keep travelling to the mountains and be wary of your surroundings. This jungle is full of dangers and you must be careful."

"What kind of dangers?" The Postman questioned. "The thieves?"

The owl gave a nod. "Among other things."

Sakon crossed his arms. "Look here, pigeon, don't be running down thieves! We're all just misunderstood; just honest folk that fell on hard times! "

Kaepora Gaebora didn't even look at him.

"Among other things?" The Postman questioned. "Is there something worse than the thieves?"

"Hoot."

"What is it?"

"There's a terrible monster that resides in this jungle. Be careful of its innocent facade or you'll be corrupted and consumed."

"Well, that sounds charming." Sakon observed. "Can't wait to meet it."

Kaepora Gaebora turned his gaze on Sakon. "Do not underestimate the threat, thief. Pray that you don't meet."

Sakon waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. I've probably dealt with worse. In the last few months I've dealt with Ganondorf, Ghirahim, Gerudo pirates, giant tapeworms, hideous monsters, Tingle, etc etc. I think we'll be fine. "

Kaepora Gaebora's feathers seemed to ruffle a moment in irritation but he didn't say anything more to the thief.

"Remember what I said, hero, watch out for you-HOOT!"

The owl was cut off mid-word as a giant net was thrown over him from above. He thrashed and flapped to no avail and within seconds several men dropped down from the trees. All three men were scarred, scruffy and had a distinct mean look to them as they gave a grin.

"Looks like we caught lunch, Tako."

One of the men gave Kaepora Gaebora a prod with his foot. "...and maybe supper too." he agreed.

It took The Postman a moment to react. "Wait! You can't eat him!"

The three men turned to stare at The Postman who they hadn't really noticed until then.

"Who's thes maggot?" one whispered to one of the others. "I dun like tha looks of 'em."

"Dunno, but let's kill him."

Sakon carefully observed the men, gave a nod and then stepped forward. "We're just fellow thieves passing through." he stated confidently.

The one with the accent narrowed his eyes. "Who said we're thieves?" he demanded.

Sakon gave them a smirk. "Your hands." was all he said.

Although all three men where scarred and raggedy, their hands were in perfect condition, their fingers long, nimble and twitching as if just waiting to grab something.

"'ow do we know yer a thief?" one of the men demanded suspiciously. "Could be a hero..."

Sakon let out a snort. "Sweetheart, I am the ONLY thief worth knowing about. I'm the king of thieves! There's not a thief in the world that can out-sneak me!"

The thieves exchanged looks with one another.

"Prove you're a thief!" one of them challenged, tossing him something.

Sakon caught it by reflex and when he opened his hand he saw he was holding a complicated padlock.

"Open it." the man ordered, drawing out a dagger.

Sakon rolled his eyes. "This is kid's stuff." he commented, seemingly offended.

"Just do it." the man ordered. "Or you and your girlfriend will end up buried in a hole somewhere."

Sakon sniffed in annoyance. "He's my husband, NOT my girlfriend."

"Sakon!" The Postman protested.

"Open the lock." the man ordered impatiently.

"It's already open." Sakon replied, holding it up.

The three thieves stared at the open lock in surprise. "When did you...show us again!"

Sakon let out a long-suffering sigh and snapped the lock closed again. With seemingly no effort he had the lock back open.

"There! Satisfied?"

"Let me see that!" one of the thieves demanded. "It must be defective. No one can open a king lock that fast!"

Sakon tossed it to him without a word. The thief yanked on it, and inspected it from all angles but it stayed firmly locked.

"Alright fine," the thief relented. "But only thieves are allowed in this jungle; your girlfriend will have to be killed."

"No, Jihiro is my apprentice. I've been teaching him the ways."

The three thieves looked The Postman up and down skeptically. "He's a thief?"

Sakon clapped The Postman hard on the back. "Yup, I've been teaching him all I know!"

"He doesn't look like a thief, he looks like a weirdo."

"He is a weirdo, but he's also a thief!" Sakon insisted.

The lock was then thrown at The Postman who wasn't expecting something to be thrown at him and didn't catch it. It hit him in the chest and fell to the ground. The thieves gave Sakon a 'look'.

"...well, he's still learning."

The Postman knelt down and picked up the lock, giving Sakon a flabbergasted look. Sakon gave a nervous giggle in return.

"Um, do it just like I showed you, darling. Go on, don't be nervous."

Sakon handed him a lockpick and motioned for him to get on with it. The Postman took the lockpick and stared down at the padlock, having no idea what to do. He had picked a few locks in the dungeon on the Windfish's island but that was months ago and he couldn't remember how to do it.

"Um..." he began uncertainly.

"Go on!" Sakon ordered, flashing the thieves a nervous glance. "Open the lock!"

The Postman stuck the pick into the lock and began poking around, having no idea how to unlock it. The thieves quickly became restless and crossed their arms.

"We're waiting." one stated impatiently.

The Postman poked some more inside the lock, remembering he had to feel for a groove or bump but couldn't find anything. Was this lock different than the ones on the island? He didn't even know there WERE different types of locks. As the thieves shifted about slowly drawing different weapons, Sakon nudged The Postman.

"Hurry up!"

The Postman gave him a glare and continued poking. He knew it was hopeless however, as he had no idea what he was doing.

"**Here. Allow me**." Ichiro stated suddenly.

The lock clicked open seemingly by itself, and Sakon let out a breath of relief. "See? Could anyone but the best of thieves pick a king's lock?" he cried out, tossing the lock back to the men.

The Postman could feel Ichiro's presence in his mind shifting about so he knew his brother was paying attention. "_Where were you_?" The Postman thought angrily. "_Where did you go? How did you do that?_"

"**Shh, busy right now**."

"_What do you mean 'busy'? What are you doing_?"

"**What part of 'shh' was confusing to you? I'll tell you when I'm done**."

The Postman felt a sharp stab in his temple and he squeezed his eyes closed against the pain. "_Ichiro! What are you doing? That hurt_!"

"**Shh**."

The thieves whispered amongst themselves for a moment as they decided their fate, and then gave a shrug to Sakon. "Your apprentice needs more practice, that was slow."

"Give him a break, he's a beginner." Sakon retorted. "Plus he's hungover."

The man clearly in charge rolled his eyes. "Fine, but you're coming with us. I'm not going to have strange thieves wandering around my territory. You can join us for lunch while we decide what to do with you."

"You can't eat the owl!" The Postman protested. "It's not a normal owl, it speaks! He's magical!"

The men stared at the giant owl a moment. "So?"

"He used to be a human!"

There was a long hesitation as they considered that. "Meh."

The Postman leaned over to Sakon and whispered. "We have to get Gaepora out of that net before he gets eaten. We can't let that happen."

Sakon clearly didn't care either way and he didn't answer him, but his eyes had a calculated look in them as he glanced around the clearing. Noting the knives the other men had, Sakon gave them his trademark grin.

"I don't care if you eat it, but I certainly wouldn't!" he exclaimed.

The thieves narrowed their eyes at him.

"Why?"

"Didn't you know this is an enchanted owl?"

"Yea, so?"

Sakon rolled his eyes like the thieves were being stupid. "Any animal that's been enchanted gives you wicked diarrhea if you eat it. Geez, how do you not know this?"

The thieves exchanged glances at one another and then stared at Kaepora Gaebora. The leader of the group let out a snort. "Liar."

Sakon gave a nonchalant shrug. "Then eat it; I really don't care. It's your bowels, not mine!"

The men gave another uncertain look at the owl who stared back at them impassively.

"Aw, who cares!" the leader growled, lifting up his dagger for the kill. "Food is food!"

Several things happened at once as the thief raised the dagger. Kaepora Gaebora gave a violent thrash upwards, the thief falling backwards as the owl's body hit him full on and Sakon lunged forward, cutting open the net with his own dagger. Kaepora Gaebora burst out of the net in a flurry of brown feathers and wings, instantly turning his sharp talons on the fallen thief. The thief let out a scream as the razor-like talons dug into him and his friends were quick to help by stabbing at the bird. Kaepora Gaebora let out a loud, animalistic screech, then took off into the air, quickly disappearing out of sight.

Everyone stared after him and Sakon cocked his head as he realized something. "Darling, I think he's becoming more and more owl-like every time we meet him. Is he becoming a real owl or something?"

The Postman didn't have time to reply as the thieves attention were now solely on them.

"I dun appreciate you losing ma lunch!" one of the thieves growled. "Thieves dun steal from utter thieves! Not righ'."

Sakon cocked an eyebrow. "I couldn't understand a word you just said..."

The three thieves each held up their daggers.

Sakon backed away a pace. "Ok, that I understand."

Before either had a chance to flee, the men charged, daggers raised. They grabbed The Postman by the neck and yanked him back before he even realized what was happening. Sakon instantly took a step forward, but a dagger was pressed tightly to The Postman's throat.

"Nuh uh, baldy. Take another step and your girlfriend is going to be painting the ground red."

Sakon held up his hands and slowly backed away.

"Surrender yourself." the leader ordered.

Sakon gave The Postman an apologetic look and then fled into the jungle as fast as he could.

"Sakon!" The Postman yelled out, angrily.

Tightening his grip on The Postman, the leader watched as Sakon disappeared from sight. "After him!" he ordered.

The other thieves quickly ran into the jungle, daggers at the ready as The Postman was forced to watch helplessly.

"Well, now, looks like I have a prisoner." the thief said to him.

The Postman said nothing in return to him but did call out to Ichiro in his mind.

"Ichiro? I'm being kidnapped! I don't know what to do!"

"**Relax, just go with him for now. He might have information we can use**."

The thief pressed the knife so hard against The Postman's neck he was sure it must have cut him.

"I don't believe you're a thief at all, but you'll make good for a good sale overseas." the thief told him. "I know of just the right buyer for you and you're not going to like him."

The thief chuckled to himself, amused at the thought and then began dragging The Postman away into the jungle.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy!**


	15. The Cage

**Authornote:**

**Wow! It was only a week between updates this time! Woohoo! Maybe i've finally gotten my act together and updates will be more frequent? (Let's hope so lol) It looks like I've lost quite a few readers. :( Only 4 reviews this time. If anyone sees what's wrong with my chapters, please let me know asap as i'm always trying to improve my writing!**

**A huge thank you to my reviewers! You guy's are great and always have such nice things to say to me. :D  
**

**Reiz16  
**

**ChaosWielder**

**ChocolateMilkLOL**

**Mira Moonshine**

**Don't forget to read and review and I'll try my best update as quickly as possible! Any suggestions, feedback or criticisms are welcome and appreciated! Never be afraid to tell me what you really think! :D**

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**Blood of The Postman **

The Cage

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The thieves screamed angrily after Sakon as they charged behind him, knives drawn and ready for the kill. Sakon was no fool and he ran hard, quickly putting distance between himself and the thieves.

Sakon ran until he was out of breath and when he was sure he was out of sight, he threw himself down behind a thick clump of bushes to hide. Panting heavily, he watched as the two thieves looked one way, and then the other, and then split up in opposite directions. Staying perfectly still for several long minutes listening, Sakon caught his breath and then cautiously crawled out of his hiding spot. He saw and heard nothing so he chose a direction and once again ran as hard and as fast as he could. His first instincts were to ensure his own safety, so it wasn't until he finally deemed himself far enough away that he slowed down in order to think.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Sakon leaned against a tree as he considered what to do about The Postman. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't even have looked back, but with The Postman, he knew he couldn't do that. Sakon had never really had any friends before, never anyone that trusted him, depended on him, cared what happened to him. Friendship was against every thief's instinct, but still Sakon knew he wouldn't leave The Postman behind.

The men who had taken The Postman, were clearly up to no good and normally Sakon would approve, but not when it affected him personally. Having no idea where the thieves' camp was, Sakon considered his best course of action. If he managed to find the camp, he could wait until night to attempt rescue, but he didn't know the thieves sleeping patterns. He, himself, preferred to sleep during the day and skulk around at night, but there was no telling when the thieves slept. They'd been wandering the jungle during daylight, so he hoped that meant they slept at night.

Pushing off the tree with a sigh, he began searching for signs of the camp.

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The Postman still had the knife to his neck as the thief led him through the jungle. He had been forced to take the horse's reins so that the thief had both hands free and they had been walking for about ten minutes. They reached several tents that had been set up next to a stream and The Postman eyes immediately fell on a table covered with a variety of terrible looking weapons. The thief saw where he was looking and gave a chuckle.

"That's right, princess, I have lots of 'toys' for us to play with. Give me any trouble and you'll discover just how gifted I am with all of them."

The Postman said nothing as they passed by the table, his eyes lingering on all the dried blood covering the table's surface. The thief tied up the horse to a nearby tree and then kept pushing The Postman forward. They came to a wooden cage clearly made for an animal, and the thief unlocked it.

"In the cage." he ordered.

The Postman stared at the unspeakable stains on the bottom of the cage and didn't move. The thief gave him a hard nudge in the back, making him stumble against the door hard. Wincing at the splinters all up his arm, The Postman knew there wasn't a way out of it, so he obediently crawled into the much too small cage. The thief closed and locked the door, giving The Postman another chuckle.

"So easy to control." he observed. "My client is really going to like you."

The Postman still said nothing, choosing instead to stare at the bottom of the cage, trying to figure out exactly what the stains were. He had no choice but to sit cross-legged to fit comfortably inside the cage, and he wondered how long he'd be stuck there.

"**Ask him his name**." Ichiro suddenly ordered.

"_What? Why? I don't care what his name is_."

"**Names are infinitely important. You'll learn this very soon**." Ichiro replied. "Now ask him."

The Postman looked up at the thief who was seating himself next to the fire. "Um, what's your name?" he asked awkwardly.

The thief glanced up and gave him an odd look. "Talking to me isn't going to make me feel sorry for you and let you go."

"No, I know, I was just wondering..."

"Tako." the thief replied. "Tako the Terrible is what they call me in Hyrule. I once killed the king's right-hand guard during a festival."

The Postman had never heard of him, but he didn't say so. Tako seemed to deem the conversation over, and picked up a quill and parchment. He began writing something quickly and stared at The Postman a long moment.

"Pale skin, long ears, bit short for his race, lean build, medium length brown hair." he stated, writing once gain.

The Postman cocked his head as Tako squinted at him again.

"Brown eyes, about 24 or 25 in age."

"I'm 30." The Postman corrected. "Nearly 31."

Tako gave him a skeptical look. "25." he stated again. "No visible scars or tattoos. Small round burn on his neck, possibly a brand. Very easily controlled."

"Um.."

"Do you have all your teeth?" Tako interrupted.

"...yes." The Postman didn't like the sound of what Tako was writing. "What exactly are you doing?" he questioned.

"Sending out your description to several of my clients." Tako answered flippantly. "When I get an offer I like, you'll be shipped off to your new owner."

"You can't just sell a person!" The Postman protested.

Tako gave him an amused look. "Oh, really? Then by all means I should just let you go then, and forget all about the disrespect you've shown."

The Postman shifted a bit uncomfortably in the cramped cage. "I meant no disrespect, sir, but I couldn't let you kill that owl. It was my fault he was an owl in the first place and so it is my responsibility to turn him back. I do apologize."

Tako snorted. "This is way beyond an apology." he stated, indicating the deep scratches across his arms and chest. "You will regret crossing me for the rest of your life."

The Postman stared at the bloody scratches caused by Kaepora Gaebora. "You should probably put some disinfectant on those."

Ignoring that comment, Tako asked. "Do you speak more than one language?"

The Postman nodded. "Yes."

Tako put the quill to the parchment. "What languages?" he demanded.

"All of them."

This caused Tako to glance up. "All of them?" he repeated skeptically.

"I've learnt and studied every language on the continent." The Postman replied. "It was useful for my job...or rather my previous job."

Tako narrowed his eyes and began writing. "Claims to speak to multiple languages."

"**Ask him how many men are in his gang**."

"Is it just the three of you?" The Postman questioned, trying to sound innocent.

Tako shook his head. "There's 12 of us, but most are out on assignment at the moment." he paused to narrow his eyes. "Don't think that means you'll be able to escape. I've kept my two strongest and most trusted men with me and they'd slit your throat before you'd taken three steps."

"**Better make sure it's only two then before you kill them**." Ichiro commented.

"_I'm not killing anyone_."

"**I see no other way unless you'd like to contribute your thoughts**?"

"_I'm not killing anyone_."

The Postman could feel Ichiro's exasperation. "**Fine, but you're only making this harder than it has to be."**

"_Sakon will come_."

Ichiro laughed. "**You're trusting a thief to save you? If you wait for ****him**** to save you, you'll already be sold overseas and half-dead before he even remembers you exist**."

The Postman shook his head.

"**Start depending on ****yourself**** instead of others to rescue you. You're not a princess, so you don't get that luxury**."

"I_ thought you said you were going to explain to me where you are and what's been going on?_" The Postman stated, changing the subject.

"**Later.**" Ichiro said dismissively. "**There's more pressing matters at the moment in case you haven't noticed the cage around you**."

"_You have an excuse every time I ask_." The Postman pointed out.

Ichiro didn't answer.

The Postman furrowed his brow in annoyance. "_Ichiro_?"

There was no reply.

Letting out an aggravated sigh, The Postman leaned back against the bars of the cage, watching as Tako made several copies of the letter.

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* * *

Sakon had very good instincts as a thief, but he had no idea where to look for the campsite. He didn't possess The Postman's excellent sense of direction nor was he psychic. He had to look the old fashioned way and after several hours, he'd had no luck. He knew the thieves' camp was likely near a water source, so he wandered along the edge of a small river, hoping he was right.

Sakon didn't know for sure if The Postman was still alive but he had a feeling the thieves had an ulterior motive for taking him. They could have slit his throat the moment they grabbed him so it would make sense if he was still alive. Did they work for the mysterious cloaked man The Postman kept mentioning? Not knowing and not really caring, Sakon kept walking along the river silently.

There was no sound around him at all, besides the trickling of water, and he began to feel uneasy. His every instinct screamed that something wasn't right, that there was danger, so his hand very slowly and carefully found its way to his dagger. His eyes examined the jungle around him, watching for anything out of place and listening carefully. There was a gentle rustle of leaves and his grip tightened on the dagger. Holding his breath as he waited, Sakon stared into the jungle tensely, still unsure if anything was there.

He didn't have to wait long because very suddenly, there was a blur of movement and colour as one of the thieves from earlier leapt out at him, knife aimed for his throat. Sakon reacted from years of living life as a villain and ducked below the attack, lashing out with his own dagger. The blade grazed the man's stomach and Sakon jumped back, still brandishing his weapon threateningly. The thief touched the wound on his stomach to check how deep it was and then gave Sakon a look of pure hate.

"Yer dead. I'm gunna gut ya like a pig!" he snarled. "You dun mess with meh and git away wet it!"

Sakon gave him an infuriating smirk. "You really need to go to speech therapy, you know that?"

The man lashed out at him viciously and Sakon sprung away, giving him a good slash across the arm for his trouble. The thief let out a curse and slashed at him again and again. Sakon had been in a great deal of knife-fights in his career and managed to block or dodge most of the attacks. The thief managed to get a good, deep cut in his shoulder however, and Sakon fell back a few steps to check his injury. Wincing at the pain, he switched the dagger to his other hand.

The thief laughed at him. "Yer gunna fight meh left-handed?"

"I'm very talented." Sakon retorted, looking for a means to escape.

Sakon was backed against the edge of the riverbank and had nowhere to run. The river's water was rough and murky and he knew it would be suicide to jump into it. The only choice he had was to fight. Sakon gripped his dagger tightly as he waited for the thief to make his move. The man seemed to study him too and then lunged, blade aimed for Sakon's face. Sakon reacted with lightening fast reflexes and dropped to the ground at the last second, thrusting his dagger into the other man's chest. Breathing hard, Sakon looked up into the thief's shocked face, and then at the dagger buried deep into the chest. The moment he withdrew it, the man would bleed out and both knew it.

Their eyes met and the thief dropped his knife to the ground, his breathing fast and erratic. Sakon didn't loosen his grip on the dagger, ignoring the hot stickiness seeping onto his hand.

"Don't! Don't!" the thief begged him. "Leave it in!"

Sakon didn't answer, instead demanding. "Where is your camp?"

"Just up the river!"

"Is Jihiro still alive?" Sakon asked, his eyes narrowing. "And don't even think of lying to me. I'll be able to tell."

The thief gulped. "I-I dunno." he answered.

Sakon frowned and was about to say something else, when he heard a loud thrashing through the jungle. The second thief burst out of the bushes knife drawn and Sakon reacted quickly by withdrawing his dagger and running as fast as he could away. The first thief fell to the ground hard, a large puddle quickly forming around him and his friend knelt down to check on him. When he realized he was dead, Sakon was already long gone. Letting out a yell of outrage, the thief charged off in the direction Sakon had gone.

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* * *

The Postman was starting to get stiff from sitting still so long, and watched as Tako stirred something in the large cauldron on the fire. It smelled like some sort of stew and despite himself, The Postman's stomach growled.

"**If he offers you food, don't take it!**" Ichiro warned. "**It will likely be drugged**."

"_I'm not stupid_." The Postman responded grumpily.

Tako had long ago sent out multiple letters by Keese, and The Postman hoped no one would respond to them. He wasn't sure what had happened to Sakon, but he knew it would be infinitely harder for the thief to find him if he was moved. He knew slavery still existed in far off countries oversea but never had he considered that something like that could happen in his own country. What use would he be as a slave anyway? He didn't have any real life-skills to contribute to anything useful and he was terrible at cooking and cleaning. If someone bought him, it would be a tremendous waste of money.

Ichiro let out a sigh. "**You're really slow on the uptake, aren't you? If you don't know why you're being sold, then I'm not telling you**."

"_Tell me now what I need to know about you_." The Postman ordered impatiently. "_No more excuses_."

"**Wouldn't you rather discuss escaping or perhaps your impending slavery?**"

"_No. I'll deal with that after_."

"**Very well**." Ichiro responded. "**Get yourself comfortable for a story then**."

The Postman glanced around himself at the tiny, splintery cage. "_Ha ha_." he responded sarcastically. "_Very funny_."

"**The man you've been seeing in your dreams is out to kill me. He'll do everything in his power to get to me."**

"_He's not after_ _me?_" The Postman asked in surprise. "_He said he wants to kill me!" _

"**No, it's me he's after. The two of us are very closely connected, closer than you know, and he thinks that you're me."**

"He called me a monster and lately something horrible keeps happening to me. I keep blacking out and hurting people."

"**I cannot reveal that to you yet, but I can assure you that everything will work itself out in the end. I've been working on your mind to allow more control during those times**."

"_You mean, I won't lose control and hurt people? That's what you were doing to my mind that hurt earlier_?"

"**You'll find everything will be a lot easier, the more I work on it**." Ichiro responded.

"_Then why is the cloaked man after you? He says you're a monster? What did you do_?"

"**The man has spent his whole life resenting me and he despises the power I have. His people have never trusted our clan and he wants me destroyed because I am going to change everything. There is no reasoning with him and he will never stop until he's dead**."

"_Power? What power do you have_?" The Postman asked, confused seeing as there was no magic that ran in his family at all.

"**I've studied magic and fighting my entire life. There are very few people that can rival my power and many grew jealous and fearful of it. I've been labelled a monster by many people and my enemies now vastly outnumber my allies. The only one I trust completely is you, as I know you will never betray me."**

"_Why were we separated? Where were you taken? What is your destiny_?"

"**Past the jungle, far beyond the forbidden district is a lush land surrounded by mountains, known as Sarinia. The name means 'Green Paradise', and that's where I've lived my entire life. I believe you've met a little girl Saria who was named after my homeland. Although the Kokiri have long since forgotten about Sarinia, remnants of the culture still remains within their village. They lived there a very long time ago. **

**Sarinia is the jewel of this world and many races have tried to take it for their own**.** There is a war brewing and I will not allow my home to be ravaged and divided up among the neighbouring races. My destiny is to fight for Sarinia and preserve the cultures and influence of my people."**

The Postman paused a moment as he digested that bit of information. "_But why you_?"

"**My destiny was decided long ago by the goddesses**."

"_Did the goddesses give you the magic? No one else in our family has any at all_."

Ichiro laughed. "**Are you really that clueless**?" he asked.

The Postman was confused. "_What?_"

"**I was chosen ****because**** of the magic in our family! Haven't you ever wondered about all the unusual abilities you have? The strange things that happen to you?**"

The Postman thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "_No, I don't have any magic_."

Ichiro snorted. "**Oh really? How about your impeccable sense of direction? What about all the times you came into contact with magical items and were able to overcome them**?"

The Postman thought back to the magical sword he'd used during the war of the tribes and the power he'd managed to wield.

"_The sword was magic, not_ _me_!" he insisted.

"**Only those with magic in their blood could wield such a sword." Ichiro explained. "Had anyone else touched it, nothing would have happened. Haven't you ever wondered at your ability to be unseen and unnoticed by everyone around you without magical ability? Why do you think Ganondorf took such an interest in you? He saw your potential**. **You and I share the same blood, and you have power you don't even know about yet. That's the reason you have to be the one to help** **me.**"

The Postman frowned, but couldn't deny the strange things that tended to happen to him. He had travelled across deserts, into the volcanos, up the snowy mountains and he hadn't been affected by the harsh elements. He had certainly felt the cold or heat but hadn't succumbed to them like most would have. Multiple strange occurrences came to mind, and The Postman felt completely dumbfounded.

"**Your magic is wild and untrained, however**." Ichiro commented. "**So don't get too excited. Overuse will make you extremely ill."**

The Postman slumped back against the bars of the cage, somewhat stunned at the information he'd been presented. His whole life, he'd believed he was a perfectly ordinary person and now that was all shattered. He'd fought against it, he'd protested, but ultimately, it seemed he was never destined to be normal.

"_What do I need to do_?" The Postman asked, cautiously.

"**Go to Sarinia and find the goddess's temple in the mountains. There's a gift there that will free me from my imprisonment**."

"_Where are you exactly_?"

Ichiro was silent for a moment. "**I'm in a place that can't really be described. It's a big, black nothing that I can't escape. Every day, you help me get stronger and soon I might be able to help you more than providing commentary**."

"_How am I helping you get stronger_?" The Postman asked, genuinely curious.

"**Speaking this much has pretty much exhausted my power for now. I need to rest for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I can**."

"_You're leaving_?"

"**Yes**." Ichiro answered, his voice growing faint. "**Remember to ask questions and not eat anything these men offer you**."

"I know, I know." The Postman said impatiently. "I believe I already told you I'm not stupid?"

Ichiro was already gone, simply a warm presence in the back of his mind remaining, so The Postman looked out through the bars at Tako. The man was eating a bowl of grey looking stew ignoring him completely. The silence was broken however when one of the thieves returned, an angry, wild look in his eyes.

"The bald maggot killed Rat!" he exclaimed furiously. "He killed him right in front of me!"

Tako dropped his bowl of stew. "What? What are you talking about, Len? Rat is dead?!"

"Yeah!" Len cried, pointing at The Postman. "His stupid friend stabbed him!"

Len stormed towards The Postman. "He killed our friend, so I'm going to tear apart his!" he snarled.

Tako held up an arm to stop him. "I've already offered this one up for sale. You will not leave any marks on his body."

"But Rat is dead!"

"We will get our revenge by him being sold. You know what's in store for him and that is worse than anything we could do to him."

Len clenched his fists but would not go against his leaders orders. "I couldn't catch the bald one, he was too fast. He's still in the jungle."

"Night is soon and the jungle will take care of him for us."

"That's too easy a death!"

"Do you see any other options?"

Len let out an aggravated hiss. "No." he admitted.

"We will have a drink in Rat's honour, and avenge him by selling this one. That is all."

"Fine." Len snapped, pushing past Tako to get to The Postman. He stared at The Postman a very long moment, then gave him a suspiciously friendly smile. "Are you thirsty?"

The Postman shook his head no.

"I think you are," Len stated. "We can't let you get dehydrated, now can we?"

The Postman said nothing but again shook his head in refusal.

Len's cruel grin widened, and then he began unbuckling his belt. The Postman tried to push himself as far away as he could in the small cage but he couldn't escape the warm stream of urine that landed on him a moment later.

"Drink up, buttercup!" Len laughed as The Postman was thoroughly soaked.

As Len walked away snickering, The Postman shivered in pure revulsion unable to do anything about it.

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**Reviews Make the Author Happy! Please don't leave me hanging, guys! lol**


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